PATTAYA, Thailand – On June 26, 100 unclaimed bodies were exhumed at Meng Mua Seng Tua Cemetery in Naklua during a solemn graveyard cleansing ritual, aimed at sending their spirits to a better realm. The ceremonies were conducted by members of the Thai-Chinese community and religious foundations from Nakhon Ratchasima, Pak Chong, Phra Pradaeng, and the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation in Pattaya.
In keeping with tradition, participants adhered to a vegetarian diet for at least 5-7 days prior to the ceremony to cleanse their bodies and minds. Each person also received a “Hoo” talisman, believed to ward off negative energies, before joining the ritual.
As part of the rituals, volunteers exhumed the unclaimed bodies, carefully cleaning and arranging the bones into complete sets. The gender of each deceased individual was determined through a divination process, ensuring the completeness of the skeletal remains before proceeding with religious ceremonies.
This graveyard cleansing ritual provided participants with a sense of spiritual fulfilment, as they aided the unclaimed deceased in receiving merits for their cremation. The sight of the skeletal remains served as a profound reminder of life’s impermanence and the inevitable fate awaiting everyone.
Following the ritual, the Sawang Wicha Thammasathan Foundation transported the 100 sets of bones back to Nakhon Ratchasima province for merit-making ceremonies, culminating in a religious cremation ceremony.
