A family in Thailand is seeking financial assistance after a 34-year-old woman died unexpectedly while working in South Korea, with relatives facing substantial costs to bring her home.
Piyawan Samreedi, known as Pla, was from Trai Trueng subdistrict in Mueang Kamphaeng Phet district. She had reportedly spent around seven years in South Korea, working as a traditional Thai massage therapist and sending money home when she could to help support her family.
Her relatives were unaware of her death initially. They learnt about the tragedy after social media users in South Korea posted an appeal looking for her family and encouraged those who recognised her to contact the Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul.
A local community leader in Kamphaeng Phet recognised Piyawan’s photograph from one of the posts and subsequently alerted her relatives. The discovery left her elderly mother, 69-year-old Lamyai Samreedi, devastated.
Final Conversation Raised No Alarm
According to Lamyai, Piyawan remained in regular contact with her family during her years abroad. Their last conversation was on August 8, when Piyawan reportedly told her mother that she was experiencing unusually heavy menstrual bleeding.
Lamyai said she advised her daughter to obtain painkillers. At that point, there was reportedly no indication to the family that anything more serious was happening.
The mother also said Piyawan had no known underlying health conditions. However, the circumstances surrounding her death have not yet been fully established.
South Korean authorities are expected to determine the official cause of death. Until that process is completed, there is no confirmed explanation for why Piyawan died suddenly.
Her relatives are now dealing with both the emotional impact of her death and the practical difficulties of arranging international repatriation.
Repatriating Body Could Cost About 200,000 Baht
Piyawan’s family said they had spoken with her colleagues in South Korea and were informed that returning her body to Thailand could cost approximately 200,000 baht.
An alternative option would be to arrange a cremation in South Korea and transport her ashes back to Thailand. Even that option is expected to cost about 100,000 baht.
For Piyawan’s family, these expenses are far beyond what they can comfortably afford. Lamyai said the household depends largely on casual employment and has limited savings.
The family hopes to bring Piyawan back to Kamphaeng Phet so relatives can hold a funeral in her hometown rather than having to say their final farewells overseas.
The case also highlights the financial difficulties families can face when a relative dies abroad. International repatriation can involve transportation, documentation and other administrative expenses, creating a significant burden for households with limited resources.
Local Authorities Step In To Help
Local officials have also responded to the family’s situation. Winai Dechsri, chief executive of the Trai Trueng Subdistrict Administrative Organisation, visited the family and said authorities were coordinating with relevant agencies to explore possible assistance.
Meanwhile, Piyawan’s relatives have opened a donation account to raise the money needed to cover the repatriation expenses. They said they would stop accepting contributions once sufficient funds had been collected.
The family’s immediate goal is to secure enough money to bring Piyawan’s body back to Thailand and allow her to be buried or commemorated in her home community.
For Lamyai, bringing her daughter home is especially important after years of being separated by work overseas. Piyawan had travelled to South Korea in search of employment and had continued supporting her family from abroad.
The official cause of Piyawan’s death remains pending as South Korean authorities continue their investigation. Until further findings are released, her family is focusing on bringing her home and arranging a funeral in Kamphaeng Phet.