Undertaker in Thailand refused fuel for cremation at petrol station, returns with corpse in coffin to prove it

An undertaker in Thailand brought a coffin containing a deceased body to a petrol station to prove that he needed diesel for cremation, and was not trying to hoard it.

He did so after earlier being refused at the petrol pump, with the staff insisting on enforcing rationing due to the ongoing fuel shortage, Bangkok Post reported.

The incident was recounted in a Facebook Live video by the 48-year-old undertaker, Preecha, who worked at a temple in Ban Bueng district.

"I told them it was for a cremation, but they wouldn’t allow it," he said.

Returned with a coffin

Preecha had earlier visited the station to fill empty containers with fuel, the way he had regularly done at the same place for years.

The fuel was meant for use in the crematorium.

Despite his repeated explanations, he was refused by staff.

To prove he was not hoarding, he drove back to the petrol station the morning after being refused petrol.

He parked his truck at a pump, then opened the trunk to reveal a white coffin, along with three 18-litre containers, to a pump attendant.

After Preecha emphasised that he needed fuel urgently for a cremation, the attendant consulted the station manager, and they agreed to give him the fuel.

Speaking to local reporters later, Preecha explained the deceased’s family had consented to cremation due to financial problems, and the hospital could not keep the body as it needed to free up storage space.

A donor had given money to cover the fuel costs for cremation.

"I really needed the fuel for a cremation today," Preecha said.

First such experience

Preecha said it was the first time he had had to bring a coffin to the petrol station in order to get fuel.

Back when he became a temple undertaker in 2005, the crematorium still used charcoal, and over the years, it upgraded to an electric crematorium powered by diesel.

He added the incident reflects growing difficulties faced by crematorium workers, as they rely on diesel as a fuel source.

He also urged petrol station operators to consider appropriate exceptions to the anti-hoarding measures, particularly for cremations and for farming machinery during the harvest season.

Top images from Preecha