The white slip should be burned at the altar

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At a Chinese Coffin temple - 義德堂 in Bangkok next to Wat Hua Lamphong, you can donate coffins for the burial of the destitute deceased at 500 baht. This goes towards the payment for the coffin & burial ceremony for those who can't afford the cost of death rites or unclaimed bodies from accidents or illnesses. Coffin donation is considered a form of merit-making for the Thais. It's an act of compassion even if you are not Buddhist. You will have 2 slips of paper when you make the donation; the pink one, you stick to the wooden empty coffin & the white slip you burn it at an altar where the deities are. It takes less than 15 minutes to make a donation. However, I would prefer to donate to support those who are still living then those already dead and hence do not understand the rationale behind this phenomena of coffin donation.

Next to the Wat Hua Lamphong temple in Bangkok is what is sometimes referred to as the “coffin temple”. Basically, many people have animist beliefs in Thailand; that is they believe that spirits exist not only in humans but also in animals, plants, mountains and streams etc. These spirits can do good or harm and are to be appeased by worshipping them or providing them with offerings. here you can donate money to the Ruamkatanyu Foundation who will provide coffins to those killed with no one to claim their bodies and provide a funeral for them. Making merit is a big part of the Buddhist way of life It all relates to Karma and the general belief that if you do good, then good luck will come to you and if you do bad, then bad luck will come to you. Leaving offerings to spirits and donating to good causes is a way of attracting good luck back to yourself and family. Joss sticks are the name given to incense sticks They are traditionally burned before the spirit of place. Here the earth god is propitiated in the hope of bringing wealth and health.

Bij de Chinese Coffin tempel 義德堂 in Bangkok naast Wat Hua Lamphong, kunt je doodskisten doneren voor de begrafenis van de berooide overledene. Dit geld gaat naar de betaling voor de kist & begrafenisceremonie voor degenen die zich de kosten van de dood niet kunnen veroorloven of niet opgeëiste lichamen van ongevallen of ziekten. Doodskist donatie wordt beschouwd als een vorm van medeleven voor de Thais. Het is een daad van mededogen, zelfs als je geen boeddhist bent. Je krijgt 2 stukjes papier wanneer je de donatie doet; de roze slip hang je aan de houten lege kist en de witte slip steek je in brand op een altaar waar de goden zijn. Het duurt minder dan 15 minuten om een donatie te doen. Toch zou ik liever doneren aan degenen die nog in leven zijn. Maar het gaat voor de Thai voornamelijk om de geesten van de doden niet boos te maken en het kwaad niet aan te rekenen.

Taken in: Thailand / Bangkok / Bangkok / Bang Rak Khwaeng (show map)

Taken on: July 28, 2014

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Camera: Canon EOS 550D, f/2.0, 1/40 sec, 30mm, ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 550D
Aperture:	f/2.0
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Focal Length:	30mm
ISO:	200
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	No Flash
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