In a unique and intriguing gesture, a Chinese cemetery in Thailand organized special film screenings for the dead. Yes, you read that correctly. The cemetery, situated in northern Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima province, contains 2,800 gravesites. For the event, the staff meticulously arranged rows of empty seats, creating a unique viewing experience for the departed. This extraordinary event took place from June 2 to June 6, allowing the deceased to enjoy films unusually, according to reports.
The screenings were held to honor the souls of Chinese immigrants who settled in Thailand and whose descendants are mainly buried there. As reported by the South China Morning Post, only four staff members oversaw the outdoor screenings, which ran daily from 7 pm to midnight.
The news outlet also mentioned that employees prepared a feast for the spirits and burned paper offerings such as food, model houses, vehicles, clothing, and daily necessities. The Sawang Metta Thammasathan Foundation organized the screenings to honor the spirits and provide them with temporary entertainment.
Somchai, the event organizer, explained that it is a tradition in many Chinese communities in Thailand to screen movies for the deceased either before or after the Dragon Boat Festival or after the Ching Ming Festival. The event’s contractor, Yanawut Chakrawattisawang, initially felt apprehensive about projecting movies in a cemetery but ultimately found the experience unique and positive.
It is believed that unfulfilled desires may be why spirits linger in the human realm. These ceremonies aim to console the spirits, offering them a sense of remembrance and reverence, thereby reducing their “interference” with the living.
