RESEARCH GALLERIES

Wat Prommanee in the Thai province of Nakhon Nayok, is one of several temples that specialise in a rather intriguing ritual. For a mere 100 Baht (approx. 2 GBP) you can undergo a 90-second symbolic funeral which apparently guarantees spiritual rebirth or luck with lottery numbers. Since the temple seems to be at its busiest on the days right before the lottery draw you it seems rather obvious which option is more appealing to the locals. While most of the ritual consists of monks chanting funeral prayers, the final part which involves lying down in a coffin is a sight to see.