Photo via Channel 8

 

A teenager in Udon Thani, Thailand, faced backlash after staging a fake funeral for his mother, allegedly aiming to collect money from friends and teachers. The incident unfolded when the community leader, Sisawat Phodhiwat, was alerted by a teacher about a student's claim of his mother's death.

 

The 18-year-old, identified as Ice, had informed his teacher that his mother had died in Bangkok, prompting a funeral in Udon Thani. Attendees, including classmates and the teacher, gave money to Ice for support. Ice later posted photos of the funeral on social media, claiming it was modest as per his mother's wishes to save funds for his university education.

 

Suspicions arose when Sisawat visited Ice's household, finding him and his grandparents in mourning attire, sitting before a coffin. Ice initially maintained that the event was an educational exercise on Isaan traditions and that a teacher had assigned it. However, the school refuted this claim, revealing no such assignment existed.

 

Upon inspecting the coffin, Sisawat discovered a banana trunk instead of a body, leading to suspicions that Ice fabricated the funeral to solicit financial aid. The following day, Ice burned the coffin, sharing images and a farewell message online, further misleading his network.

 

 

 

Ice's grandmother, Dueandee, defended him, explaining the ritual was prompted by a fortune teller's advice to bring good luck to Ice's mother. They had neglected to inform local leaders about the ritual, unwittingly causing the misunderstanding.

 

Currently, Ice has taken refuge in monkhood at a distant temple, likely seeking distance from the fallout. Both Ice and Dueandee asserted that they had communicated the ritual's true nature, but it seems some recipients did not hear this explanation.

 

While Ice's friends expressed dismay over the deception, they chose to forgive him, influenced by his grandmother's defence. Questions persist about the money collected during the funeral and whether it will be returned. The incident remains an unusual tale prompting discussion within the community about customs and the responsibilities of honesty and transparency, reported The Thaiger.

 

-- 2025-03-26

 

 

Funerals and weddings, monks ordinations and other festivities are organized to collect money.. My brother in law died a few months ago and his wife said when she got an envelope with money from his boss and our family " Oo come we get a lot of money".. I think what is more important a decent funeral or the collection of money??

 

So people know this and of course as always there will be persons who will abuse it.. Besides a teen..... is not allowed to arrange a funeral and even the grandparents in this case are probably behind this scam

Oh, 

How low can you go.

Pretty low in Thailand, by the looks of it.

 

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Ice's grandmother, Dueandee, defended him, explaining the ritual was prompted by a fortune teller's advice to bring good luck to Ice's mother.

Grandma's as bent as the boy

Future in politics for ice this excuse " to bring good luck to his mother " is on par with " the watches were lent to him by a friend "

15 minutes ago, Dave0206 said:

Future in politics for ice this excuse " to bring good luck to his mother " is on par with " the watches were lent to him by a friend "

Dead friend.... 

On 3/26/2025 at 5:06 PM, snoop1130 said:

While Ice's friends expressed dismay over the deception, they chose to forgive him

 

While it's sometimes nice that Thais can be so accepting and forgiving, it does make you wonder...

On 3/27/2025 at 7:03 AM, quake said:

Oh, 

How low can you go.

Pretty low in Thailand, by the looks of it.

 

There is no limit.