Coffin Donation
for Good Deeds and Accumulate Merits
2. Ruamkatanyu Foundation donation hall entrance
Many Thai people believe that donating a coffin for death is an act of making merit. It is because the coffin is meant for the unclaimed dead bodies or unidentified and the one with no relative to give them a proper burial. It is said that the amount of the expenses required for burial or cremation and rituals with a piece of white cloth for the death required a total amount of 500 Baht. Donors believed that by doing so, they could acquire merit for themselves. This place is a benevolent charity center. It was set up by Mr. Somkiat Somsakulrungruang, the founder and former Chairman of the Ruamkatanyu Foundation, who established the Foundation in 1959 and performed registration as a legal entity on 22 June 1970.
Ruamkatanyu Foundation is open 24 hours a day. Other than the deity's statues enshrined there for worship, the main task is the activity for charity donation known as the "Hall of Righteousness and Virtues" located there at Wat Hua Lampong Temple. If an accident occurs in Bangkok, Thailand, the first to show up at the scene is not the team from the hospital. Instead, they were the rescue team from the Ruamkatayu Foundation.
When a death occurs at the accident scene, the rescue teams will help clear and clean up the site. For those without relatives, a coffin will be provided from the funds donated by devotees. Most of the people working there were voluntary workers. You can see at Ruamkatanyu Foundation that although the devotees were mostly Thai people, a sizeable number of devotees came from Malaysia, Singapore, and many other places. Thai people believed that making donations for coffins would help them get rid of bad fortune and bring luck, and good health, avoid sickness and protect them from bad things.
Thai people like to make charity, and they call it "Tamboon," which means "make merit" Tamboon in Thai literately - Tam means "make," and Boon means "merit." Tamboon, in Thai's perception, is very much linked to doing all the right things in religious-related activities. For example, donating money to temples or monks, but most of the time, contributing to charities is also considered Tamboon. Even by releasing live animals (setting animals free).
When making the monetary contribution, a pink color merit slip will be provided to you to fill up your name and signature below, together with a duplicate official receipt. Enter the passage on the right of the donation counter where the yellow wooden coffins are displayed. At the gluing area, apply glue on the back of the pink color merit slip, make your requests and wishes by prayer before the coffins, and paste it on any casket.
Pick 20 incense sticks from the incense rack to offer prayers to the deities in the temple at the right side of the donation hall and offer one incense stick each at the right and left side outside the temple at the main entrance, and then provide three incense sticks to all the statues in the temple. Then strike the three hanging bells three times each and hit the drum, and end your prayer. After that, he burns the official receipt into the incense bowl on the altar's right side. If you cannot find it, you may ask someone in the temple.
However, if you have a chance on your trip to Bangkok and wish to donate to acquire merits for yourself, you can visit Ruamkatanyu Foundation located at:
Wat Hua Lamphong Temple
728 Phra Ram 4 Road, Sri Phraya,
Bang Rak Area, Bangkok 10500, Thailand.
There is another temple in Bangkok on coffin donation named:
Por Teck Tung Foundation
326 Chao Kham Road,
Opposite Plubplachai Road,
Overseas Road, Bangkok 10100, Thailand.
The Way to Process
1. You've reached your destination
2. Ruamkatanyu Foundation donation hall entrance
Translated in English
中文翻译
I.......………………………….........provide this donation of the coffin and white cloth for the death with previous bad deeds or corpse without relatives, please wish me to be free from suffering and gain happiness.
我…………………………………………..提供这棺材的捐赠白布为前恶业的死或无亲人的尸体，请愿我离苦得乐。
Sign……………………………
签名……………………
4. Make your donation here. According to one’s free will, accept a set of coffin at 500 to 600 Baht
5. Write your name down with your signature signed below on this pink merit slip given to you
7. Apply glue on the back of the pink
merit slip at the gluing area
8. Make wishes and paste the pink merit slip on any coffin as a proof of contribution
10. Incenses stick to offer prayer to the deities
11. Pick 20 incenses to offer prayer inside the temple
13. Offered one incense stick outside the temple at the main entrance (each left and right)
14. Offered three incense sticks to all the statues inside the temple
16. Hold the official receipt and make your prayers
17. Burn the official receipt from the burning oil lamp
19. Strike the hanging bells three times each and process to the next
20. Hit the drum and end your prayer
3. Proceed to the donation counter for assistants
6. This official receipt will also provided for you to burn inside the temple
9. May you be blessed with good health, happiness, peace and everything your heart desires
12. Light the incense sticks from the burning oil lamp
15. Continue your prayer with incense sticks to all the heavenly gods and Buddha
18. Put the burnt official receipt into the incense bowl
21. Rescue vehicles stand by for emergency