On New Year's Day, people flock to Wat Takien Pagoda in Bangkok's western suburbs to attend an unusual ceremony that they believe will eliminate bad luck and bring good luck to the whole year.
The followers of these strange rituals are in open coffins with flowers and incense between their hands, like the bodies put in the crematorium.
Monks then recite prayers, while those inside turn to their deceased family members for donations.
After the ceremony ended, the participants considered themselves reborn and escaped from bad things, ready to start the new year again.
According to The Nation, each ceremony takes place for about 20 minutes, each day the pagoda can perform up to 12 visits. After each ceremony, coffins are cleaned and disinfected to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The pagoda does not charge a fee for the ceremony, instead, the participants voluntarily contribute donations.
A monk said that being in the coffin is not only to remove the discomfort but also a reminder of the truth that no one can escape death. The people attending the ceremony were inspired to live cautiously and reservedly.
Practice death rituals to ward off the disease are popular in Buddhist cultures across Asia, including Thailand, China, Tibet and Japan.
However, the practice of the ceremony varies from place to place.
In some Chinese-origin Thai communities, instead of using coffins, people would dig a grave and fill it with the belongings of those who wanted to be exiled. Buddhists in China also believe that this ceremony helps prolong the life of participants.
