To Start Life Anew, Thais ‘Practice’ Death
Via Reuters:
For those facing a run of bad luck and wanting to start things over, one Thai temple has an unusual solution: “rehearse” death with a mock funeral, including lying down in a coffin.
Pram Manee temple in Nakorn Nayok province, 107 km northeast of Bangkok, holds two of the rituals every day: at exactly 9:09 a.m. and 1:09 p.m., since the number nine is believed by Thais to bring good luck.
Participants in a recent ritual stood in front of their designated coffins, holding flowers and praying for bad luck to go away, then asked to receive good luck.
All had paid 180 baht ($6) for the flowers, a white sheet and “merit set” — a collection of necessities sometimes including toothpaste, toothbrushes and food — to be offered to monks, and the promise of a better life …
Thai Elects Yingluck Shinawatra As First Female PM
Thai lawmakers have voted in their first female prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, whose political career began just a few months ago. The Bangkok Post reports:
Pheu Thai Party list MP Yingluck Shinawatra was elected Thailand’s 28th prime minister by a majority vote in the House of Representatives on Friday morning.
A total of 296 MPs voted in support of Ms Yingluck, the country’s first female prime minister, while three Democrat MPs voted against her, with 197 abstentions – including Ms Yingluck, the new speaker and one of his deputies, and most members of the main opposition parties, the Democrat and Bhumjaithai parties, and the four members of the Rak Thailand Party led by Chuvit Kamolvisit.
The three Democrat lawmakers who voted against Ms Yingluck were Boonyod Sukthinthai, Watchara Phetthong and Attaporn Ponlaboot.
The four MPs who did not attend the House meeting today were Ratchadaporn Kaewsanit, Khanchit Thapsuwan, Yukol Chanawatpanya and Sathit Pitutaecha, all Democrats.
Bizarre Ritual Of ‘Santhara’ Helps People Die Happy
BANGKOK, Thailand (Wireless Flash) — Dying happy is an actual possibility — that is, if you follow one bizarre ritual. Bangkok-based writer Richard Rubacher is researching a weird, “magical” death ritual for his book-in- progress, Kissing Death.
“Santhara,” an ancient practice that originated in India, is the act of preparing oneself for death by fasting and not having any water. This supposedly releases “magical energy” in the body and purifies the mind and soul so that the person can die in a state of total bliss.
Rubacher says the person experiences joyful hallucinations in the process and falls into a permanently “delightful daze.” Meanwhile, their loved ones gather around and throw farewell parties to celebrate their euphoric exit. Rubacher believes people who choose to go this way die with a smile on their face — literally dying happy.
He’s traveling to India in the coming weeks to film people actively practicing “santhara” for…
