A cemetery is an unlikely spot for a new resort, but the Sattahip District village of Nongjaptao’s final resting place indeed saw one open last month, complete with a sign reading “Resort of Peace for the Fallen”.
The Uthitat Resort, as it is called, is not the posh hotel people usually think of. In fact, it’s just a normal building funded by relatives of the deceased and created for spirits to relax in. It is made of concrete and stands only a single story high. Inside it is divided into different tunnels created by bricks to offer the spirits their own “rooms”.
Local resident Pramuan Pensook, 32, said people for years had bought spirit houses for those who had died so that they can live happily ever after in the afterlife.
However, the spirit houses wear out over time. The new “resort” will accommodate the spirits for the foreseeable future, with some likely choosing to reside there for all eternity.
It also serves as a place to keep bones of those who died in accidents for 100 days before relatives collect the remains for cremation.
