Thailand’s ‘Death Fest’ invites visitors to embrace death

Nonthaburi, Thailand — Thailand’s “Death Fest” invites people to face death and offers practical services and indispensable spiritual advice.

The unusual fair, now in its second year, has raised an uncomfortable topic for many. This is one of the central teachings of Buddhism, which forms much of Thailand’s culture, about the inevitable sufferings of life: birth, old age, illness and death.

Sangduan Ngamwinizaroon attended the three-day event with her mother in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok on Friday. Death was a difficult matter for her family, she said, but having spent more than 20 years caring for sick family members, including her husband’s stroke and relatives, she has seen many deaths firsthand and now feels more comfortable talking about it.

He liked the fair because “it’s not just about dying well. It’s about the present moment and taking good care of our lives while we’re still here.”

The event brought together experts and organizations involved in healthcare, financial planning, palliative care, funeral services and memorial innovations. Activities and talks focused not only on preparing for death but also on maintaining quality of life until the final days.

“Death involves everyone. It’s not just about you,” said Zcongklod Bangyikhan, editor-in-chief of The Cloud magazine and one of the main organizers of the event. “Instead of wondering what it’s like to die, we should be thinking about how to make things easier for the people left behind after we’re gone.”

A popular demonstration is called “Test Die”. Visitors can lie inside coffins of various sizes and styles and see themselves in mirrors suspended above. Experience is designed to reflect rather than fear.

“It’s quiet,” said office worker Finutda Seehad.

“I don’t think I’m scared to death,” he said. “I don’t want to die either, but when the time comes, I hope it won’t be horrible.”

One company demonstrated a biodegradable coffin made from mycelium — the root-like fibers of fungi — that naturally aid in decomposition.

Founder Jirawan Kumsao said the design reflects a more environmentally friendly approach to burial. Although he brought human-sized coffins to the event, his company mainly produces coffins for pets.

“It gives people comfort to know they cared for their pet until the end,” she said. “It looks like a spaceship, a capsule to send them to another world.”

Noppasavard Panyajaraya, founder of online memorial platform ShareSouls, has seen a similar emotional bond. Their service allows users to collect photos and share stories about loved ones, creating a digital space where friends and family can send messages and pay tribute.

He said that his original idea was a platform to preserve the memories of family members. But she was surprised to find that many users were creating memorial pages for their pets.

“Many people messaged me to say thank you, because these days we don’t have a place to store stories or memories about their pets,” she said. “Every pet is as meaningful as a family member to their owner.”