The Cost of a Village Funeral
- Thread starter Yorky
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mario299
Surin Founding Father
In our area it varies, depending on length of time for the funeral. Approximate cost for one day Bt 100,000. Good length of time costs more for food, more goodies, tapestries, etc.
My wife's father was a 5-day funeral for Bt 300,000, her aunt a one-day for 90,000, another recent one was Bt 100,000 for one day.
Hope that helps.
My wife's father was a 5-day funeral for Bt 300,000, her aunt a one-day for 90,000, another recent one was Bt 100,000 for one day.
Hope that helps.
Prakhonchai Nick
You chose a custom title
Mario's prices seem somewhat on the high side, but conceivably more spent as there was a farang in the family. Most "events" span 3/4 days and in my village involving just ordinary folk, would likely cost between 100/150,000baht GROSS. The envelopes would bring the total cost down.... No costs involved to the family, but more than likely once the monks have departed after their final evening chant, an all night card session will commence, and participants will likely bring their own booze.
mario299
Surin Founding Father
I don't think that me being farang had anything to do with the pricing...I wasn't involved at all as I personally don't "do" funerals. I agree with GL though, no cheap Charlie's on these funerals, part of it has to do with who and what they were to the village...F-in-law was fairly important man, aunt was his wife's sister, etc. etc. etc.
mario299
Surin Founding Father
What are you saying?
I'm not throwing figures, I'm answering your question. As to living in cuckoo land, well....
Yorky
Fullritis Member
My original idea was less than ฿50,000.00. That's why I must be living in cloud cuckoo land!
"Throwing figures" is merely an expression.
gotlost
Kap Chong R Us Member
Four years back the wife grandmother past away. The funeral was about 100 meters from our house. 5 nights of the chanting monks concert with at least 130 people each night for the show. 
They wanted me to set up front in the VIP section but I politely declined. I set in very back row in the A-man section. This section was where the village pallbearers (6) in uniform set, they just happen to be very good friends AND they had cold Leo for me. I was told that the 5 night take was over 400k.
They wanted me to set up front in the VIP section but I politely declined. I set in very back row in the A-man section. This section was where the village pallbearers (6) in uniform set, they just happen to be very good friends AND they had cold Leo for me. I was told that the 5 night take was over 400k.
Prakhonchai Nick
You chose a custom title
I believe it can all be done for a minimum of 20/30,000baht. That however is with none of the add-ons of food day and night, dirge music, and possibly the chanting of 1 or maximum 2 monks over 2 days.
I have raised the question many times with the wife, but never received a decent answer. Why is it when the attendees are virtually all neighbours, is the provision of food necessary at all?. They can eat at home as they would normally do and still pay their respects. And as for the monks they can go back to the Wat after the morning chant to eat.......after all they have previously done their morning begging ritual, so the cupboard is far from bare!
With the prices mentioned above, it would almost be cheaper to utilise CO-CO's services
I have raised the question many times with the wife, but never received a decent answer. Why is it when the attendees are virtually all neighbours, is the provision of food necessary at all?. They can eat at home as they would normally do and still pay their respects. And as for the monks they can go back to the Wat after the morning chant to eat.......after all they have previously done their morning begging ritual, so the cupboard is far from bare!
With the prices mentioned above, it would almost be cheaper to utilise CO-CO's services
Life 'insurance', or funeral insurance as I call it, pays for much of it, unless they go overboard trying to show big face for the deceased. Then all bets are off. The 'book of payments previously made' is an odd cultural system I have seen here. Some of you here may know of it.
Prakhonchai Nick
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I am well versed with the "book of payments". If a family have had any sort of "event", be it a marriage, funeral, lucky home, or son becomng a monk for a week, a book of who paid what is kept.
When someone else from the neighbourhood has an "event", the payment book is studied, and the envelope will contain a similar amount to that which was previously given regardless of what the original and current events were/are.
When my MiL died a few years ago, her late husbands family made a good donation. When their son went off to be a monk some months later for a week, they were up in arms when they received somewhat less than they had given for the funeral. I chimed in and stated that a monk for a week was not the same as death forever. Don't think they ever forgave me.
I believe it can all be done for a minimum of 20/30,000baht. That however is with none of the add-ons of food day and night, dirge music, and possibly the chanting of 1 or maximum 2 monks over 2 days.
I have raised the question many times with the wife, but never received a decent answer. Why is it when the attendees are virtually all neighbours, is the provision of food necessary at all?. They can eat at home as they would normally do and still pay their respects. And as for the monks they can go back to the Wat after the morning chant to eat.......after all they have previously done their morning begging ritual, so the cupboard is far from bare!
With the prices mentioned above, it would almost be cheaper to utilise CO-CO's services
What mystifies me as well, Nick, is the way everyone takes food home after the funeral festivities are finished. Bags of foods are taken away from the funeral feast by many of the mourners. That, and the 'professional' gamblers setting up their card games. I was like WTF when I saw this the first time at a village funeral. A bit of culture shock years ago it was.
The homemade rice wine dug up out of the ground where it was left fermenting was another. Have some. It's delicious I was told. lolNick, The 'lucky home sleep over' is another cultural aspect that I found a bit much. All the relatives come for the house warming party for the food and booze blow out for good luck for the new built home, with monks and parades around the village area etc. And you are begged to please sleep over that night to bring good luck to the house. Actually with the amount of drinking I experienced at these events it was likely best, better than letting everyone drive after the huge alcohol consumption I saw going on. Dozens of family all sleeping on floor mats in the evening. Getting into the bathroom was a chore as well after all the drinking.
mario299
Surin Founding Father
Cent: Now you're talking about building homes, but the subject was funerals. Our funerals don't involve liquor at all, but certainly the house building parties do.
Bags of food are indeed taken home from funerals, but that is part of what the "envelopes" are all about.
CO-CO
Rather wrinkly & occasionally cantankerous member
I believe it can all be done for a minimum of 20/30,000baht. That however is with none of the add-ons of food day and night, dirge music, and possibly the chanting of 1 or maximum 2 monks over 2 days.
I have raised the question many times with the wife, but never received a decent answer. Why is it when the attendees are virtually all neighbours, is the provision of food necessary at all?. They can eat at home as they would normally do and still pay their respects. And as for the monks they can go back to the Wat after the morning chant to eat.......after all they have previously done their morning begging ritual, so the cupboard is far from bare!
With the prices mentioned above, it would almost be cheaper to utilise CO-CO's services
I don't do cheap...................... we ca burn them for around 30,000 Baht...... nice surroundings.
Yorky
Fullritis Member
It will likely cost a million or so to get me there?
Yorky
Fullritis Member
I have today learnt of a local funeral which occurred in the last few days. 3 day session c. ฿200,000.00 (not including returns from the envelopes).
About 10 years ago I was asked by a Farang, who was temporarily back in his homeland, if I could lend him ฿ 15,000.00 to give to his wife's parents for his wife's funeral.
About 10 years ago I was asked by a Farang, who was temporarily back in his homeland, if I could lend him ฿ 15,000.00 to give to his wife's parents for his wife's funeral.
Night Stroker
Surin Legend
Having been involved with a number of funerals around my village I have noticed that too much food is provided. To answer Cent's question the mourners are given leftover food to take home rather than waste it by throwing it out. And yes I have been given a bag of food by the relatives to take home. Sometimes my wife brings me something she has been given specifically for me.