Can we talk about why I chose a traditional Thai funeral over a Western one for my mom?

When my mom passed last year in Chiang Mai, her family expected a Western style service since she married an American. I went with the full Buddhist funeral instead. Seven days of monks chanting, offerings, and the whole village coming through. My aunt was furious, said it was "backwards." But my mom had told me once she felt more at home with those rituals. It cost about 80,000 baht versus maybe 40,000 for a simple service. The community support was unreal. Has anyone else picked their parent's birth culture over the one they lived in as adults?

2 comments

2 Comments

hugo23610d ago

Read a study that said Thai funeral rituals actually help with grief more than Western ones because of the community aspect. Sounds like you honored her true wishes, which is what really matters.

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miller.avery10d ago

Did you find that the community aspect made a real difference? When my grandmother passed, her church group basically took over everything. They set up the meals, helped with the funeral home arrangements, and people were just there, sitting with us, not saying much but not leaving either. I think that's what got us through it more than anything, just having people around who knew her and could share little stories.