I have one burial ground or funeral in Thailand. Funeral services

Unlike Russia, in Thailand both men and women retire at 55. It is not customary for them to complain about life, because it is just beginning: the children have grown up and moved out of the house, and they have to babysit their grandchildren once a week.

Thai elders have their own interest clubs, and these hobbies are very risky.

1 The last floor of one of the Bangkok high-rise buildings in . A long corridor, plastic chairs and large windows, behind which there are several restaurants and a club of special interests.

2 The cover of this place is like a home for the elderly - elderly Chinese come to play chess.

3 And some of them actually play.

4 Sometimes he even wins.

5 But most old people come here for completely different entertainment.

6 From the outside, everything looks decent: just a restaurant, tables. Grandfathers came to have lunch with their granddaughters or nieces. They sit side by side, talking...

7 But if you look closely, each grandfather has a “granddaughter”. Without strangers. Or they sit and wait alone. The girls don’t keep themselves waiting, they sit down.

8 Don’t let the innocence of the situation and the venerable age of the clients captivate you; they didn’t come here to eat dumplings. It’s just that the Chinese mentality and the passage of time do not allow one to immediately drag a girl to bed.

9 “Matrons” sit at a separate table: not everyone likes young people.

10 For some reason I felt disgusted after visiting this brothel for old people, although I didn’t see anything dirty there. But next place will be even more ambiguous.

11 By the way, from the roof of the old man’s whorehouse one of the best views to Bangkok!

12 If you want to visit this place, write to my friend Anton Dryanichkin, he will take you away.

13 This is much cooler than paid viewing platforms.

14 Through the gardens of Chinatowns, stumbling over Thai cats, I make my way to the old cemetery.

15 The houses are so ancient that sand pours out of them and trees grow.

16 You can’t cut them down on pain of death, this is the banyan tree under which Buddha gained enlightenment! It happens that an angel lives on a tree, and then he needs to be worshiped. The Thais quickly build an altar and bring red Fanta there. I was told a story that when Coca-Cola launched this drink in Thailand, the locals did not like it and sales failed. Then marketers launched an advertisement where a Thai man buys a red Fanta for the spirit house, and the next day he wakes up rich and happy. Now red soda is the most popular in the country, and people don’t drink it. This is for the spirits!

17 Nice city park. Fit Thais and Chinese run and play sports. They're great, but I'm not so good.

18 Here the grandfather is swinging, so that later he can visit the brothel under the roof.

19 Look, what's that behind there?

20 City park and outdoor exercise equipment are located right next to the cemetery! In Russia, this alone would be a reason for indignation. But the Thais went further.

21 Here they built gazebos and opened summer cafes, where you can eat, but first of all sing.

22 Remembering the deceased with a kind song is so Thai!

23 They really don’t see anything wrong with this. But they will probably consider the Russian tradition of eating and drinking at the graves of relatives shameful...

24 How do you like traditions?

Did you like the post? Like it and write a comment. Tomorrow at 10 am there will be new post- alas, not about Thailand. But if you want more about this country -

Here's everything you need to know about Bhumibol Adulyadej's cremation ceremony

Almost a year has passed since the death of King Rama IX, who passed away on October 13, 2016. He was the most revered king of Thailand and the nation's sadness is immeasurable and continues to this day. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people queued in the heat and rain to pay tribute to their beloved monarch in the throne room of the Grand Royal Palace in Bangkok. Almost a year later, many Thais and foreigners working in government organizations and enterprises, still wear black clothes as a sign of mourning for the departed ruler.

Soon there will be a day in Thailand that no one wants. Funeral, namely the cremation ceremony of King Bhumibol. Many tourists ask how the King's funeral will affect their holiday in Thailand, how to behave at this time and is it worth going to Thailand at this time?

Facts about the cremation ceremony of the King of Thailand

• October 13 is a new date in the calendar, marking the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
• Royal funeral will take place from October 25 to October 29, 2017.
• The actual cremation ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 26, 2017.
• October 26, 2017 was declared a public holiday to allow people to attend the funeral.
• Tourists can visit the Grand Palace to pay tribute to the King until September 30.
• The Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha will be closed to the public, including tourists, from October 1 to October 29, 2017. Both of these locations will open on October 30, 2017.
• On October 7, 15 and 21, rehearsals for the royal procession will take place at Sanam Luang Square. This will likely be observed and photographed, subject to dress code compliance.
• The Royal Crematorium in Sanam Luang will be open to visitors from November 1 to November 30 from 7am to 10pm.
• Bangkok's Skytrain BTS will be free all day on October 26th. October 25 and 27 free trips will be on routes from On Nut to Samrong and Wongwian Yai to Bang Wa.
• BRT bus service from Sathon to Ratchapreuk will be free from 25 to 27 October 2017.

Schedule of funeral events

the 25th of October: A Royal Merit Ceremony will be held to mark the start of the royal cremation ceremony at the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall in the Grand Palace.

October 26: The body of the late King will be transferred from the Throne Hall to the Royal Crematorium in Sanam Luang, where a cremation ceremony will be held.

27th October: After the cremation, a ceremony will take place to collect the royal relics of the late King at the royal crematorium.

28 of October: There will be a ritual ceremony for the royal relics in the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall.

29th of October: At 10:30 am, a ceremony will be held to enshrine the royal relics in the Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall, and the ashes of the late king will be kept separately at the two temples Wat Rajabopit and Wat Bowon Niwet.

FAQ

Question: Can I attend the funeral of the King of Thailand?
Answer: Literally hundreds of thousands of people will attend the funeral of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Be sure to follow the dress code so you can be present near the cremation ceremony site. However, it is unlikely that you will be able to attend the actual ceremony, which will only be available by special invitation.

Question: Can I photograph the royal family and the funeral ceremony of the King of Thailand?
Answer: Definitely no, you can't. You must be an accredited fund representative mass media to be able to take photographs at the funeral of the King of Thailand. Not all foreign journalists working in the kingdom are ready to apply for such a permit.

Question: Will clubs and bars be closed during the funeral of the King of Thailand?
Answer: There is no official message about this yet, but it is possible that on October 26 there will be a ban on the sale of alcohol. The actual cremation ceremony will take place in the evening, so it is unlikely that bars will be allowed to open. It is also possible that there may be a ban on the sale of alcohol during the main three days of the funeral, October 25-27. We will update this information as official statements become available.

Question: Should tourists wear black during the funeral of the King of Thailand?
Answer: You must adhere to the dress code, which is to wear black or gray, if you intend to attend the events associated with the King's funeral in Sanam Luang or attend one of the many ceremonies that will be held these days throughout the country.

Question: Will shopping malls be closed during the funeral of the King of Thailand?
Answer: Large stores in Thailand rarely close. Nothing has been officially announced about this; most likely, the stores will continue to operate as before. However, in the evening, at the time of cremation, you are unlikely to find many visitors in the country's shopping centers. Most people will watch the royal funeral ceremony at home on television.

Question: Will the Grand Royal Palace be open during the funeral of the King of Thailand?
Answer: It has been officially announced that the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Grand Royal Palace in Bangkok will be closed to the public throughout October, and will reopen at the end of the month.

Question: Will temples be open near Grand Palace, such as the Reclining Buddha and the Temple of Dawn?
Answer: They will likely be open as usual.

Question: Is it worth coming to Bangkok during the funeral of the King of Thailand?
Answer: Bangkok - Big city, and there is no reason to avoid it. However, it is clear that there will be a massive crowd of people on the approaches to Sanam Luang Square, the site of the royal crematorium. Especially October 26, 2017. This also applies to the famous Khao San Road; there will definitely be a lot of people here.

Question: Will public transport in Bangkok such as skytrain, buses and boats be available as usual?
Answer: Yes, sure. Moreover, some services will be either free or will operate at reduced rates. You can learn more about the changes in public transport routes in Bangkok here:.

A real royal funeral is taking place in Thailand - a five-day farewell to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) of Thailand, who reigned for 70 years. It all started on Thursday with a Buddhist mantra reading ceremony in the Dusit Maha Prasat throne room of the Grand Royal Palace in Bangkok.

However, see for yourself.

During the reign of King Rama IX, Thailand, from predominantly agricultural society became the second largest economy in Southeast Asia. Thailand has implemented more than 4,000 royal projects aimed at developing the economy and human resources.

1. This is a royal crematorium in Sanam Luang built exclusively for the solemn funeral Ceremony of King Rama IX. It is decorated with statues of deities and mythical creatures, and the Royal Crematorium itself symbolizes Mount Sumeru, the center of the Universe according to Buddhist cosmology. After a five-day funeral, this masterpiece crematorium will simply be demolished. (Photo by Kittinun Rodsupan):

2. Thousands of people in black wait for the funeral ceremony to begin, October 26, 2017. The ceremony will take place in strict accordance with the traditions of Buddhism, Hinduism and Brahmanism. (Photo by Christopher Furlong):

Officials said that according to preliminary calculations, the cost of the funeral ceremony of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand will be 500 million baht. If necessary, the budget can be increased

3. Royal guard. (Photo by Anthony Wallace):

The five-day farewell ceremony for Thailand's late King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) began on Thursday with a Buddhist mantra ceremony in the Dusit Maha Prasat throne room of the Grand Royal Palace in Bangkok.

4. Badge with the image of the king. (Photo by Damir Sagolj | Reuters):

5. (Photo by Aaron Joel Santos):

6. Men in black, some smiling, with photographs of the king, October 26, 2017. By the way, the reign of Bhumibol Adulyadej is one of the longest in world history. (Photo by Christopher Furlong):

7. The weather tested people's strength. (Photo by Ye Aung Thu):

8. The cremation of the monarch was preceded by a many-hour funeral procession, during which the coffin urn containing the king’s body was taken to Sanam Luang Square. Thailand, October 26, 2017. (Photo by Soe Zeya Tun | Reuters):

9. Royal Guard at the Grand Royal Palace. Here, on top of the constructed funeral platform, the coffin urn will be erected. (Photo by Damir Sagolj | Reuters):

10. Bow to the departed king. (Photo by Damir Sagolj | Reuters):

11. Royal physician. In general, it was not only the weather that tested the strength of the people who came to see off their beloved monarch: thousands sought medical help from volunteer doctors throughout the day on Thursday, night and morning on Friday. (Photo by Anthony Wallace):

12. The Guard is the elite and pride of the army. In battles, she helps out troops in the hottest areas, and in Peaceful time her beautiful uniform and impeccable bearing serve as an example for other soldiers. But the Royal Guard of Thailand appeared in 1859 as a special service to... scare away crows in royal court. Today, the Thai Guards put on an annual spectacle for tourists and are an important part of the country's military tradition. (Photo by Soe Zeya Tun | Reuters):

13. All the colors and elements of the guards uniform are very well thought out. The personal bodyguards of the King of Thailand serve in bright red and white uniforms, in uniform yellow color artillerymen are dressed, and sky-colored fabric is used to sew guards uniforms Air Force. (Photo by Soe Zeya Tun | Reuters):

15. Bow to the king. (Photo by Soe Zeya Tun | Reuters):

16. Meanwhile, the funeral procession moves on. (Photo by Jorge Silva | Reuters):

17. (Photo by Kittinun Rodsupan):

18. Tall hats were borrowed from the British guards, but instead of bearskin, the Thais use feathers: after all, the climate here is different. (Photo by Anthony Wallace):

19. The royal chariot Phra Maha Pichai Ratcharot, or “Great Victory,” was built back in 1795 for the funeral of the father of Rama I. Since then, in its last way Almost all Thai rulers, as well as especially revered members of the royal family, traveled on it. (Photo by Damir Sagolj | Reuters):

20. Huge chariot Great victory weighs almost 14 tons and is pulled by 222 members of the Royal Army. (Photo by Jorge Silva | Reuters):

21. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha | Reuters):

22. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha | Reuters):

23. Coffin urn made of sandalwood. It consists of 30 thousand hand-carved elements and is decorated mainly with images of the Garuda bird, which is believed to carry the soul of the monarch on its last journey to the top of the sacred mountain. (Photo by Roberto Schmidt):

24. The body of the deceased was placed in a coffin urn in a metal sarcophagus, in which cremation took place without open fire. The urn itself remained untouched. (Photo by Wason Wanichakorn):

25. (Photo by Jorge Silva | Reuters):

26. Royal crematorium near the Grand Palace in Bangkok, October 26, 2017. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha | Reuters):

In general, today I will tell you about death in Thai. Or more precisely, about what Thai graves, crematoria, etc. look like. You can also read and see photographs of the funeral ritual itself in Thailand.

It is not customary in Thailand to bury the body of the deceased in the ground. Therefore, it is first burned in a crematorium.

Here, for example, is one of the cemeteries on the territory of the monastery on Samui.

Another type of burial of ashes is in the wall of the monastery. By the way, it’s quite an expensive pleasure)

Another method of burial.

And here is the Thai crematorium. There is one like this in almost every temple.

First day

We arrive in the village of my grandmother’s house, 100 kilometers from Chiang Mai, the town of Phrao. A hundred relatives and neighbors had already gathered there, everyone was busy preparing for the funeral. I didn’t notice any particular sadness; on the contrary, everyone was cheerful, working with passion, joking, and having fun. E and I are greeted joyfully.

We go into the house. I realized later that there was a coffin in the house. In the corner of the room there is something like a table on which there are flowers and a portrait of my grandmother. Incense smokes on the floor in front of him. E and I sat down and lit our sticks. There is immediately a conversation between relatives - many have not seen each other for a long time, they have come from all over the country, and are talking cheerfully.

We go out into the yard. Or even into courtyards. There is food and local rice moonshine on the tables. During the work process, citizens come up, have a drink and a snack. One of them had already had a good snack and fell asleep in one of the houses. Everyone makes fun of him, invites him to the table, drinks, chats. By the way, only men drink.

In the main courtyard they are making a bamboo house, foam walls, windows, a door, and steps. The whole thing is decorated with foam plastic painted arabesques, colored foil, the house is painted, garlands are hung, curtains, lighting - new Toshiba fluorescent lamps.”

“They brought a gun carriage into the yard. They begin to build another complex structure on it to install the coffin. The result was something 3 full floors high, arabesques, bells, everything was painted, a lot small parts, lighting, flashlights. We stretch the tent from above. This is some kind of festival!”

“I’m going to another yard. There E is busy filling bamboo sticks with rice. Nearby, meat is being chopped on a wooden platform. I take off my shoes, sit on the platform, and chop. Only men deal with meat. We chat happily, and while we work, they bring us drinks and snacks to make our work more fun.

In the end, the meat should be almost minced. We take a piece of meat (beef and pork), cut it into pieces, add liver and blood and start chopping the whole thing with cleavers until it becomes minced meat. I’ve been doing this for about an hour, gradually getting together with the guys.

E calls, let's go, like, say goodbye to grandma. The guys thank me for my help and call me Somchai. I give it out in a tongue twister:

Somchai pen nong Sompong, Sompong pen pi Somchai - they are all lying around.

E warns: “Thirak, don’t get too drunk, the main drinking will be in the evening, take care of yourself.”

A table was opened in the house, which turned out to be a white carved coffin. All the relatives passed, said goodbye, the women wiped away a woman’s miserly tears, and the coffin was closed. We take the coffin, take it out of the house and put it on a gun carriage. Grandma’s favorite pillow, her purse and some personal items are already there.

In the courtyard they set up concert acoustics at 10 kilowatts. So, I think there will also be a disco. The last speakers are dragged in using ladders - yes, with such sound you can pump neighboring villages! The musicians arrived and brought instruments and equipment. Preparations are coming to an end. Everyone goes home to rest and change clothes for the holiday... er... event.
In the evening, all the illumination on the gun carriage, house and trees is lit. Four monks arrived, everyone sat down, we listened to the suttas. Then we move into the house. There are already suttas in random order for those interested. I receive a talisman on my hand.

Second day.

All day long there are suttas, music, food, drinks, fun. Red Bull bottles filled with special water are carried around, and those present are “sprinkled” with it.

Day three.

We're going to the final funeral.

This morning no one drinks, everyone is busy with the bustle.

We take the house in our arms and carry it to the temple. There is food in the house. As the healthiest person present, I always have the honorable responsibility of carrying the heaviest objects. I hear all the time: “Farang... Farang...” - people are having fun. Everyone takes pictures with me against the backdrop of the carriage, as if I were a curiosity - it seems there have never been farangs in these places. Then it became clear that the reason for the increased interest was different.

After an hour of sutras in the temple, we return to the deceased and prepare to move the carriage with the structure and coffin to the cremation site. 2 ropes of 50 meters each are tied to the carriage. All those present (already more than 100 people) take hold of the ropes. The cremation site is about a kilometer away. Along the way, firecrackers explode, there is a terrible roar, young maidens are screaming, children are having fun with all their might. We’ve arrived.”

“We remove the coffin with the body from the carriage and carry it onto a special concrete slab. Special workers open the coffin and take out the body. The coffin is carried away and its legs are broken off. The body in ordinary clothes is placed on the slab. A responsible comrade breaks 2 coconuts over the head of the deceased and pours coconut juice over the body. Next, the closest relatives, including me, pour water from a mug on the body one by one - the last ablution before the road to eternity. The deceased is placed back in the coffin.

We take the coffin to a pedestal with firewood, the entire healthy structure from the carriage is placed on top, a cable is nailed to it and pyrotechnics are installed.

Last speeches, last honors, prayers. A rocket is launched along a cable to the structure, which ignites pyrotechnics on the structure, fireworks, sparks, fire...”

“As soon as the fire starts, everyone gets into their cars and goes to get something to eat. Later the ashes will be scattered by the wind. The celebration of death has come to an end.

Why, exactly, be sad? The woman lived a decent life, gave birth to and raised a bunch of children, died with dignity, and will be reborn again in a new status, based on her life’s merits. None of those present doubts this.”

On the way from Samui to Malaysia, in the border town of Sadao, we decided to visit a Buddhist monastery for the last time. The abbot of the monastery received us as the most honored guests. We were given not just a cell, but a whole house. Only a few monks lived in the monastery.

By the time we washed ourselves, washed our clothes and sorted out our things, it was already getting dark.

Let's go for a walk! - suggested Natalya, who had only been traveling around Thailand for two weeks and still retained a thirst for vigorous activity.

Yes, we can go explore the territory,” I agreed.

It had already become completely dark when the three “white monkeys” went out for a walk. After 300 meters the sounds of music reached us, and then lights appeared.

There’s some kind of party there!” the girls exclaimed. - I wonder what it is? Let's go there!

As we got closer, we saw a stage where a live orchestra was playing behind a white screen, and a shadow theater was unfolding on the screen itself. There were tables nearby under a canopy. There were quite a lot of people. I’ve never seen anything like this before, and I’ve already been traveling in Thailand for 6 months. This is clearly some kind of holiday, everyone is happy and laughing.

Maybe it's a village disco? - Natalya suggested

Yes, they play fun, but the music itself is a little strange,” Olga noted.

“So what, normal music, you can dance,” Natalya did not let up, and immediately imitated several dance movements.

Wait, maybe you can’t dance here,” I tried to calm the girls down, “the locals are all looking at us.”

We simply could not go unnoticed, and two young guys with joyful faces and chairs hurried towards us.

Hello! Sit down please!

We were given a glass of Coca-Cola.

Are you having a holiday here? Disco? - Natalya tried to ask

Our Thai friend's English level left much to be desired.

Holiday... music...

Yes Yes…

And dancing! Disco?!

Disco?.. No, no disco!

No? Why?

The Thai just shook his head, shrugged his shoulders and spread his arms, which meant: “Sorry, my English is very bad.”

“Okay, there’s no disco, so at least let’s listen to music,” Natalya calmed down. - They probably also serve kin-kau here.

"Kin-kaw" in Thai means to eat (literally translated, it means "to eat rice"). Hearing Magic word our Thai friend perked up:

Want some kin-kaw? - and pointing to the large pots against the wall, he offered to take whatever he wanted.

Without thinking twice, we picked up various dishes and joined the fun feast.

Well, let's have dinner one more time, I love it Thai cuisine, - I said.

Yes, it’s great that we came here, I just wonder what they’re celebrating anyway? - Natalya answered.

Maybe it’s some kind of Buddhist holiday today,” I suggested, “it’s a pity that they hardly speak English, you can’t really ask.”

Then the Thai man again appeared near our table and invited us.

Would you like a beer?

Wow they are having a party! - I was surprised. - No, thanks, we don't drink beer. Tea, coffee - OK.

Oh, you’re from Russia, then here’s... vodka.

We never expected such a turn:

Yes, no, thank you, we better tea... Is it possible to drink on the territory of the monastery?

In general, you can’t, but today you can, have a drink, today we… my family has a big holiday,” the Thai answered.

He himself, judging by his appearance, had already taken advantage of the opportunity mentioned above several times and this, oddly enough, had noticeably improved his English.

What kind of event is this that you can drink even in a Buddhist monastery, probably something special, for example, a wedding,” I remarked in Russian.

“Today is a very big holiday for my grandmother,” our Thai friend came into contact again. - My family has a big holiday!

So what is your grandmother celebrating? Is it her birthday?

My grandmother died yesterday, and that's why today is a big holiday for us. My grandmother is lying there behind the screen. Let's go have a look!

With our mouths open in surprise, we followed the grandson of the hero of the occasion. Wow, a coffin! Beautiful, I wouldn’t refuse this myself!..

This is my grandmother,” the grandson pointed to the photo. - And this is my family...

The relatives sitting on the sofa greeted us cheerfully. Here's a disco for you...

Can we take a photo with the coffin in the background? - I asked.

Yes, of course, no problem,” the Thai agreed without hesitation.

But we immediately noticed that the music had a strange tint. It's fun here to see people off on their last journey, not like here, you can't tell right away whether you're going to a birthday party or a funeral. In Malaysia, in principle, it’s the same - whether a wedding or a funeral, there’s little difference.