Cremation and ashes transport

Cremation in Laos and bringing ashes home

For some families, arranging cremation locally and carrying ashes home is the right choice, and it can be quicker than full repatriation. This page sets out what Laos requires, and what to check before you decide.

Send an enquiry Full repatriation guide for Laos

Cremation in Laos

Can you cremate someone in Laos?

Cremation arrangements in Laos depend on local facilities and on whether an investigation is open. Contact us and we will confirm the current position before you make any decision.

Weighing cremation abroad against bringing your loved one home intact? How families decide between the two.

Who must release the body

Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane (primary forensic post-mortem facility); complex cases may transfer to Thailand

Treaty position

Not a signatory to the Strasbourg Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses

Airline guidance

Can you carry ashes on the flight home?

Departure airports: VTE (Wattay International Airport, Vientiane); LPQ (Luang Prabang International Airport)

Carriers serving the UK: Thai Airways (via Bangkok Suvarnabhumi); Bangkok Airways (via Bangkok Suvarnabhumi); Vietnam Airlines (via Hanoi); Lao Airlines

Airline rules that apply on any route.

What affects the cost from Laos

We do not publish a figure, because it turns on the specifics of the case. For Laos the things that move it are:

Distance from where the death happened to the nearest crematorium
Whether Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane (primary forensic post-mortem facility); complex cases may transfer to Thailand has to release the case first
Whether you carry the ashes yourself or need them shipped

Considering full repatriation instead?

Some families decide they want their loved one brought home intact. The full Laos guide sets out that process.

Full repatriation guide for Laos

First steps guide

What to do if someone dies in Laos

The step-by-step first response guide covers the first 24 hours in Laos.

Sources: FCDO: death abroad · FCDO travel advice · Repatriation from Laos

Talk to us about cremation in Laos

We deal with Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane (primary forensic post-mortem facility); complex cases may transfer to Thailand and the local funeral directors directly. Tell us what has happened and we will take it from there.