Funeral attendees win cows, receive rice gifts in unique 200,000 baht Thai almsgiving

In Buriram province, a funeral for a 92 year old woman, Wun Chongchaingam, has drawn a large crowd due to the unusual almsgiving of 1.5 tonnes of rice and a raffle for five cows, worth a total of 200,000 baht (US$ 5,758), for needy villagers and attendees. The event took place at Wat Pa Non-Somboon temple.

Many villagers attended the funeral to pay respects and participate in merit-making for the deceased woman, as well as to try their luck at winning one of the five cows. In addition to the cow lottery, which was held in front of the guests, over 700 bags of rice, each containing approximately two kilograms, were prepared as gifts for attendees.

The hosts divided the cows into two groups. The first group of four cows was raffled off to selected poor but hardworking individuals from four villages. For the remaining cow, it was raffled off to the guests by matching the number written on the rice bags handed out as gifts, reported Sanook.

Jakkrit Chongchaingam, 57 years old, the youngest son of Wun and one of her seven children, said that his mother had always taught them the principle of “the more you give, the more you receive.” He emphasised the importance of charity towards the less fortunate, which led to all siblings holding successful positions in their careers. As Wun passed away, Jakkrit and his four other siblings decided to organise an unconventional funeral with rice and cows as almsgiving to honour their mother’s teachings. The cows, in particular, were given to provide a better life for deserving but poor individuals, ensuring that their mother’s name would be remembered.

One of the lucky recipients of a cow, 50 year old Srinuan, expressed her happiness, saying that as her household only had one cow, the newly received one would be a great companion. She promised to take care of the cow for life and not sell it under any circumstances. She mentioned that she had attended the funeral for three nights and prayed to Wun, wishing to be granted the cow. In the end, her desires were fulfilled, leaving her extremely grateful.