Buried Or Burned?

[torngseea]

Having watched the Sawang Boriboon boys at work stuffing a foreigners corpse into the back of a pick-up on a number of occasions, I wondered what the average resident farang wants to be done with his vacated 'earth-suit' once he has shuffled off this mortal coil.

My father was buried behind the pig-sheds in the rubber garden - Trang province. I will probably do something similar.

On the other hand I know a number of guys who are quite happy for the local 'wat' to do their stuff and despose of the body in true Thai-style.

Incidentally, the main driving force behind my fathers western-style burial was his wife of 14 yrs. I guess she thought that was the right thing to do.

What about you? Buried or burned?

[Aussietraveller]

Burned...

I do not like the thought of decaying over a period of time..

get cremated and have my ashes scattered somwhere lovely...

[Maigo6]

Many people fear the thought of being buried, in case they wake up in a coffin 2 metres below ground.

Or being burnt and waking up in the furnace.

Guess I'd opt for just lying in my cellar for a year or two, just in case a miracle happens, do what you want with me after that

[PeaceBlondie]

Burned. Even my formerly-Catholic stepmother finally saw it made sense to be cremated.

[britmaveric]

No difference to me, I'm dead.

[marquess]

Having watched the Sawang Boriboon boys at work stuffing a foreigners corpse into the back of a pick-up on a number of occasions, I wondered what the average resident farang wants to be done with his vacated 'earth-suit' once he has shuffled off this mortal coil.

My father was buried behind the pig-sheds in the rubber garden - Trang province. I will probably do something similar.

On the other hand I know a number of guys who are quite happy for the local 'wat' to do their stuff and despose of the body in true Thai-style.

Incidentally, the main driving force behind my fathers western-style burial was his wife of 14 yrs. I guess she thought that was the right thing to do.

What about you? Buried or burned?

Cremation for sure, cleaner and cheaper!

[IvanLaw]

No difference to me, I'm dead.

Hells Teeth

Britmaveric writing from the afterlife!!!

How the hel_l do you get did of him, EXORCISM??[/size]

Only joking, please do not be offended.

Even Poltergeists need friends

Regards

[solent01]

Good question, Cremation here also.

[torngseea]

Interesting .... no burials yet.

[canuckamuck]

Well I always thought that once I moved out, someone else might find my old parts kind of useful. I mean really, I don’t think I’ll give a hoot if I some airline pilot gets an eyeball, and some taxi driver gets a kidney. It would be a shame to waste some good broken in material.

I guess the stuff they can’t use the can do with what they like. But I have a feeling the Missus, would like to have some sort of goodbye occasion. In the ground, or in the oven, it won’t make any difference.

One ride on the Earth is nuff for me; I want to meet all the famous dead guys, well the nice ones anyway.

[TAWP]

On a spaceship, sent directly into the sun, while bagpipes are playing Amazing Grace all around the globe.

[lannarebirth]

Burned I suppose, but freeze dried has a certain appeal:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4293992.stm

[sierra01]

Buried, the thought of cremation just doesn't appeal to me.

[skipvice]

cremated and the ashes flushed down the drain, I wont care, I will be dead

[suegha]

I have to agree that if they could use any of my bits (maybe not my liver!) to benefit any else I'd be happy. After that, cremation is for me.

[Ijustwannateach]

Most of the atoms in our bodies right now- excluding the few that have been reformed due to radioactivity (C-14, etc)- have been in the same condition for billions of years (anything heavier than helium couldn't have been formed by our sun but must have existed before our sun). So no need to care too much about the atoms going on without us.

On the other hand, almost all of those atoms will spend a maximum of 7-8 years or so in our bodies even while we are alive, before they are discarded as natural waste of one type or another. So the body that we have right now is completely different from the one we had a decade ago or the one we will have a decade from now.

I don't see much point in being any more sentimental about a group of eternal atoms that has been collected together for a mere seven years than any other group of atoms. Cremate me and give those atoms a chance to be used by something living again more quickly.

"S"

[Tinkelbell]

I have to agree that if they could use any of my bits (maybe not my liver!) to benefit any else I'd be happy. After that, cremation is for me.

For me, cremation is the only way to go.

Everytime when I have to renew my new driver license, I would fill in the attached form to donate all my organ parts to those needies.

After they done with my body. In my will, I bequest my ash to be sprinkled on sea water by the most beautiful ' Hanauma Bay', Hawaii.

[phazey]

Pan fried to seal, then placed in an oven preheated to 220c, sprinkled with oregano, finely chopped garlic, and a squeeze of lemon. Served after 2 hours with various sauted vegetables and a rich onion gravy. Alternativly can be pasta.........

At least it'll save buffet costs at the wake

[phazey]

double post (?)

Edited April 11, 2007 by phazey

[Gary A]

I'll be cremated Thai style. Having my ashes scattered in the Gulf of Thailand has some appeal so I told my wife to flush them down the toilet of my Jomtien condo. That way they'll get to the sea and will save the cost of renting a boat.

[November Rain]

If I die here, I s'pose I'll be cremated, as it's the easiest to organise. If I die in UK, I want an ecologically friendly burial - cotton shroud, cardboard coffin & a tree planted on top of me. Help something live after I'm gone. On the same theme, like suegha, if any part of me is usable (for transplant) I want it removed & given to someone else first.

[PeaceBlondie]

How much does the cremation itself cost in Thailand? There's a whole topic on ThaiVisa about the typical large Buddhist funeral, which resembles some Irish wakes, but I mean just the cremation part.

[November Rain]

I don't know the exact figures, PB, but the basic cremation is really quite cheap. You can go to a Wat in BKK (ColPyat knows the name, I forget) & donate towards unfortunates' funerals. I think you can pay for a whole (basic) cremation for a couple of thousand baht.

[Heng]

Cremation all the way.

Burial takes up space and in many cases, requires your family to actually pay rent for the space where you are buried. This often works out for generations, but inevitably, somewhere down the road someone's going to be late on the rent (most likely because he/she is dead, moves far away, or simply has more important things to deal with than great great great grandpa Heng's bones... and then you and possibly your whole family buried on the same plot gets dug up, cremated in the end anyway, and put in the dumpster.

[ColPyat]

Cremation.

It's cheaper, easier, and much cleaner. Decomposing corpses are a mess, really disgusting.

[canuckamuck]

You know, now I am thinking burial at sea. A nice little boat trip, some kind encouraging and edifying words, then a deep sea dive. A lot of folks pay pretty well for a holiday like that; a good way to bon voyage to my eternal reward.

There is a likely a benefit to the local shrimp and crab fisheries too.

Sum Tum Bo, mmm!

[ozymandious]

How much does the cremation itself cost in Thailand? There's a whole topic on ThaiVisa about the typical large Buddhist funeral, which resembles some Irish wakes, but I mean just the cremation part.

did this for a friend a year ago...

If you're talking the most basic bare bones cremations (No pun intended...Seriously )

then it's the cost of the fuel (petrol i think) and what ever you choose to give as donation to the Wat (@5,000+ or - ,or what ever you can afforded)

The other costs incurred are feeding everybody

Choosing how many days you lay in state (3, 5, 7days??)

and how many monks you want chanting over you.

(donations in envelopes are given to the monks every night they chant)

As for my prefrences Re this trhead

Organ donor all the way, then cremation.

[meemiathai]

Feed me to the hungry dogs. At least I can give back something to the world.

Don't waste any money, most importantly!

[sbk]

Assuming I die here, I already know how it will be.

Funeral (minimum 3 days) with my husband's entire extended family, all the neighbors and friends coming by every day, helping out, cooking etc. Then, final day, cremation. My husband has already stated that if I go before he does he'll keep the ashes at home. Guess when he dies we'll both end up at the wat.

Fine by me, I just hope there isn't too much gambling at my funeral. I hate gambling

No point in organ donation on the island. In the US, however, full organ harvesting if possible, then quick cremation, take my ashes wherever. As Brit said, I am not going to care as I will be dead

***quick note ozymandious, every funeral I have been to (and I have been to more than I can count), money is given to the closest immediate family member to help cover costs of the funeral on cremation day. ***

[Crow Boy]

My father and I had this discussion last time I went back to Australia on a visit. He said he didn't mind what happened but thought cremation was the best option, then discard the ashes to the wind.

I replied that when I found out he had died my plan was to drive a wooden stake through his heart, sever the head, divide the body into four parts, burn them, and expose the ashes to the sunlight just to make sure.

He didn't think it funny - but he didn't realise I was being serious

Me I want to be cremated with my favourite Fender strat, take a couple of guitar picks because I keep losing them, and a flask of Jack D. I am not sure if I will need it where I am heading but I want to make sure that I am ready just in case

CB

Edited April 11, 2007 by Crow Boy