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Thread: Thai Cremation

  1. #1
    The Fool on the Hill bowie's Avatar
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    Thai Cremation

    Yesterday we completed the funeral of my great nephew-in-law.

    Puum was a good man, a dedicated family man. He was a give you the shirt off his back type of guy. Didn’t have much of anything was quite generous with the little he did have. Cancer took his life far too early.

    The funeral was as much a celebration as it was a tragedy. His cancer was painful but his suffering was not a long drawn out affair. About three months from diagnose to death. His suffering was physical, his families suffering was emotional. They greatly desired to ease his burden but were unable to help him. It was well timed in that his children are adult and his grandchildren too young to understand the finality of death.

    First the disclaimer – I am reporting on my personal observations of a family members funeral services and Cremation Service. Thai Buddhist Funerals and Cremations may be performed differently elsewhere. Protocols change. Cost and affordability come into play. Often the cremation may occur months or years after the funeral. All is up to the family and their spiritual advisor.

    The services were performed at Bangkoks Wat Laksi. A few words about Wat Laksi. It appears to me that Wat Laksi has developed into an assembly line crematorium center. It is/was quite efficient. Yet, with many services occurring it was, at times, quite noisy as chanting ceremonies stepped on each other.

    Wat Laksi has seven dedicated Sala. With two, possibly three other “standby” rooms available. There was one long row of five Sala’s with a storage room that could be used as an additional Sala if needed. We used the center Sala which was set off from the row of Salas. It had the largest outside area for chairs to be set up for visitors. There were five other funerals going on along with ours. Each funeral/Sala had a blackboard itinerary/schedule shown on it. Our funeral was three days of viewing and a fourth day for the cremation. There were two single day viewings/cremations. One five day viewing then cremation and another three day viewing followed by the day four cremation.

    Our Funeral Viewing Day One – Family members only about 40 folk.
    Viewing Day Two – Friends and Neighbors – about 120 folk.
    Viewing Day Three – Employees and Business Associates – about 50 folk.
    Cremation Day Four – About 100 folk.

    Days one and four were all day affairs.
    Days two and three were single chanting sessions starting about 6 PM.

    Day Four Cremation. We started with a chanting ceremony at about 10AM. Food offerings to the Monks at 10:45, followed by our lunch after the monks had eaten.

    At about 2 PM the Main Officiating Monk provided a sermon – about a half hour. Including an overview of Puum.

    Then the body was transferred from the refrigerated holding casket to the cremation casket. After the transfer the Cremation Casket was placed on a dolly. The attendees formed a line (quite a long-line) and led the casket on it’s trip three times around the crematorium. The casket was then placed on an altar at the front of the crematorium. All the pictures, flowers, decorations, etc. were staged/dressed onto and around the casket and altar.

    Then another eulogy was given by one of Puums work bosses along with (I believe) the Pu Yai of his neighborhood.

    After their eulogies and speeches, flowers (paper) were distributed to each of the attendees. The attendees then paid last respects (again a long line) each depositing their flower into/onto several large collection platters. After all the attendees resumed sitting. Puums casket was opened. The flowers were placed into the casket. A coconut was opened and the milk poured over the body and flowers. Then the casket was resealed and placed at the entrance door to the Crematorium.

    Then the four Monks did another round of final chanting. The crematorium door was opened. The casket was pushed into the crematorium. The door closed and the button pushed.

    As an FYI the crematorium is gas fired and feed by approximately thirty large gas cylinders.

    Within five minutes of pushing the “ignition” button, the lay persons were disassembling all the flowers, wreaths and commemorative decorations.

    And now the final chapter has been closed and Puums family can move on with their lives.

    Any questions feel free to ask.


    Our Day Begins
    Thai Cremation-img_4579-jpg

    AM Sala and Staging
    Thai Cremation-img_4573-jpg

    Caskets
    Thai Cremation-img_4584-jpg

    Buddhas
    Thai Cremation-img_4597-jpg

    AM Preparatory
    Thai Cremation-img_4598-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Thai Cremation-img_4579-jpg   Thai Cremation-img_4573-jpg   Thai Cremation-img_4584-jpg   Thai Cremation-img_4597-jpg   Thai Cremation-img_4598-jpg  


  2. #2
    The Fool on the Hill bowie's Avatar
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    Food Preparation
    Thai Cremation-img_4616-jpg

    Monks Eating
    Thai Cremation-img_4643-jpg

    Lunch for Attendees
    Thai Cremation-img_4659-jpg

    Crematorium
    Thai Cremation-img_4665-jpg

    Six Lottery Ticket Vendors
    Thai Cremation-img_4689-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Thai Cremation-img_4616-jpg   Thai Cremation-img_4643-jpg   Thai Cremation-img_4659-jpg   Thai Cremation-img_4665-jpg   Thai Cremation-img_4689-jpg  


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    The Fool on the Hill bowie's Avatar
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    Sermon by Primary Monk
    Thai Cremation-img_4726-jpg

    Joss Sticks Altar
    Thai Cremation-img_4740-jpg

    Casket Dolly
    Thai Cremation-img_4748-jpg

    Transferring the Body
    Thai Cremation-img_4770-jpg

    To The Crematorium
    Thai Cremation-img_4784-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Thai Cremation-img_4726-jpg   Thai Cremation-img_4740-jpg   Thai Cremation-img_4748-jpg   Thai Cremation-img_4770-jpg   Thai Cremation-img_4784-jpg  


  4. #4
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    Just out of interest,before the deceased goes for cremation,do the family put a coin into the his mouth, and then retrieve it after the cremation.

    Just wondering as this is what happens in Isaan.

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    Final Respects
    Thai Cremation-img_4930-jpg

    Casket onto Dolly
    Thai Cremation-img_4833-jpg
    Three Trips Around The Crematorium
    Thai Cremation-img_4795-jpg

    Starting the Cremation
    Thai Cremation-img_4993-jpg

    End-of-Day
    Thai Cremation-img_5014-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Thai Cremation-img_4930-jpg   Thai Cremation-img_4833-jpg   Thai Cremation-img_4795-jpg   Thai Cremation-img_4993-jpg   Thai Cremation-img_5014-jpg  


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    The Fool on the Hill bowie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chico View Post
    Just out of interest,before the deceased goes for cremation,do the family put a coin into the his mouth, and then retrieve it after the cremation.

    Just wondering as this is what happens in Isaan.
    Didn't happen this time. Unless the son snuck it in and I was unawares - doubtful as I was there the whole time.

    I believe we did do the coin deal with my Father-in-Law twenty some years ago.

  7. #7
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    Interesting the difference in the ceremonies around Thailand.

    I was intrigued about the 4 monks, as the King only had four monks at his ceremony.

    Up here in Isaan they believe the more monks the quicker they enter Nirvana, or possibly only for the lower classes.

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    The Fool on the Hill bowie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chico View Post
    the King only had four monks at his ceremony
    My family tells me that the Thai Buddhist Funeral Ritual is set at Four Monks. Don't matter to me. Every one of the Salas at Wat Laksi had four seats and four fans.

    But, there are so many variables it really doesn't matter. As long as the family members are happy. The deceased is past caring.

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    Thailand Expat Pragmatic's Avatar
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    Will there be a second funeral party or is that it now? Out here the family have a second funeral to send the persons spirit off to where spirits go. All depend on what they can afford at the time. So I believe.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pragmatic View Post
    second funeral party
    Yea, although it hasn't been mentioned yet. I think there is either a 90 or a 99 Day followup celebration honoring the dead. It might also center around placing the bones in the selected family Chedi. We've got a few possibilities. I believe now the decision(s) rest on his son.

    If memory serves me right we interred my Father-in-Laws bones in the family Chedi on the 99-Day mark. Family made a ritual of picking through the cremation remains. Each taking a bone fragment to be placed in a special vessel that is then sealed and sits at the base of the families Buddha.

  11. #11
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    Go Faster Casket Dolly, avec alloy wheels...
    Nice.

  12. #12
    กงเกวียนกำเกวียน HuangLao's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by thaiguzzi View Post
    Go Faster Casket Dolly, avec alloy wheels...
    Nice.
    The casket show is a rather newer development [of the last couple generations] that has become more commonplace.
    Was a time where the deceased was/is wrapped thoroughly in stark white linen and then respectively transported to the crematorium.
    This practice can still be witnessed in many instances today throughout the country.

  13. #13
    The Fool on the Hill bowie's Avatar
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    ^^^ Closing out the question of the second party and/or the close of the mourning period.

    Today the immediate family of father, sisters and brothers took approximately 1/2 of his ashes to the Chao Phraya for a boat ride. His ashes will be scattered over the river.

    We will inter the remaining ashes at one of the family Chedi's in Suphan Buri during the Songkran Festival. So, seems I'll be spending Songkran among the many, many rice fields of Suphan Buri. A tad bit more enjoyable for myself than our local Songkran festivities.

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