The late politician Paiboon Upatising was a prominent member of the Christian community and following his death on August 10, 2015, a grand funeral was held for and attended by thousands of guests from near and far, who came to witness and participate in a unique ceremony which had elements of both Thai Buddhist and Christian rites.
Prior to his Christian burial, his body was kept preserved for seven days to allow for Thai-style farewell rites giving friends and family a chance to pay their final respects.
Though Thai Buddhists are very specific about setting the length for this final farewell period – which can vary from a single day, to three, seven or more days, depending on the status of the deceased – Thai Christians are not so particular about the length of time that they formally mourn, but will generally tend do so over several days.
As a reflection of the underlying Thai culture, both Buddhist and Christian funerals in Thailand are very relationship and food oriented.
For Thai Christian funerals, family and friends of the deceased tend to organise lunches and dinners at private homes and restaurants for people to gather together in warm company during the mourning period, while Thai Buddhists will usually sponsor communal meals at the temples, where most of the mourning is centered.
At both types of funerals in Thailand, there is bathing or water-blessing ceremony, in which relatives and friends pour water over one hand of the deceased. The body is then placed in a coffin and surrounded with wreaths.
If you are close to the family, it is customary to bring a wreath of flowers, or else give the family some money in an envelope to help supplement the cost of the funeral.
The wreath of flowers – in Thai, “Puang Reed” represents a show of deep sorrow, and support for the suffering family. But sometimes, the family may prefer monetary support instead.
At the funeral of the late American expat Brad Kenny, for example, his Thai family requested that mourners donate money to the Rotary Club instead of buying flowers for the funeral.
Prior to the final burial or cremation, the deceased is placed in a coffin and sometimes the coffin is left open so that relatives can say their final goodbyes.
At a Thai Buddhist funeral, there will be chanting sessions performed by monks at least twice a day and you will also see candles, incense sticks and sometimes food offerings placed near the coffin.
However, a Thai Christian coffin is not surrounded with candles and joss sticks, nor is there food offerings made in the name of the deceased as is a common Brahman-Buddhist practice. As Christians commonly express their faith through music, it is common for a band or chorus to play and sing hymns at a Christian funeral.
Yossanun Kornkumpanart, Vice President of the Phuket Christian Committee explained that Thai Christian mourning beliefs are framed by the Bible’s New Testament.
“Most Protestants believe that Jesus Christ is both the human and divine incarnation of God. By having faith in Jesus Christ, believers are able to reject the sin that was imposed upon humanity by the fall of man, and attain eternal life with God in Heaven.”
Indeed, like their Western counterparts, Thai Christians are faithful and hopeful that they’ll one day be reunited with their lost loved ones in heavan, a belief which is reinforced by a favourite bible passage, John 14:1-3, which says, “Let not your heart be troubled...In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”
As believers in reincarnation, Thai Buddhists on the other hand don’t necessarily believe they will be reunited with the same person in the afterlife, but believe that souls may cross paths again in the next life, or incarnation, if not one later down the road.
Cultural Insights is a monthly column written by various contributors and in which we attempt to crack open the intricate and sometimes confusing cultural code of Phuket and Thailand, covering everything from religion to superstition, beliefs, folklore and customs. If you have a suggestion or would like to contribute to this space, please email editor@classactmedia.co.th