Thai-Chinese cemetery shows films for the deceased in spooky night of entertainment

A Chinese cemetery in Thailand has taken the cinema experience to a new level – by hosting film screenings for the dead.

From June 2 to 6, rows of empty chairs were carefully arranged at the eternal resting place in Nakhon Ratchasima province in northeast Thailand, which houses 2,800 graves.

The graves are mostly descendants of people from China who emigrated to Thailand, and the film screenings were organized to commemorate their souls.

Only four employees were present at the open-air film screenings and the films were shown daily from 7 p.m. to midnight.

The staff also held a festival for the spirits by burning paper offerings such as food, model houses, vehicles, clothing and everyday items.

According to Thai daily KhaoSod, the film screening was organized by the Sawang Metta Thammasathan Foundation to honor the spirits and provide them with a modern form of entertainment.

Somchai, the event organizer, said it is a traditional custom in many Chinese communities in Thailand to screen films for the deceased after the Ching Ming Festival or before the Dragon Boat Festival.

Yanawut Chakrawattisawang, the event’s organizer, said he was initially afraid of showing films in a cemetery.

However, he described the experience as unique and positive as it was the first time he had entertained deceased people.

One online observer wrote on Weibo: “This scary movie screening is actually a very heartfelt idea to give the deceased a sense of satisfaction and the living a sense of reassurance.”

The Chinese community in Thailand, influenced by Confucianism, places value on filial piety and reverence for ancestors.

It is believed that spirits can remain in the human world due to unfulfilled wishes.

By performing such ceremonies, these souls can be comforted and made to feel that they are thought of and respected, which in turn reduces their “interference” in the affairs of the living.

Buddhism is the largest religion in Thailand, with 94.5 percent of the population practicing it, according to the 2015 census.

Buddhists believe in reincarnation and life after death. Many Thais believe that after death the soul enters a new cycle of rebirth.

Therefore, showing films to ghosts is a way to comfort the deceased, give them a sense of satisfaction and ensure their rebirth.

In December last year, according to KhaoSod, a Thai man held a ghost wedding with his girlfriend who died of leukemia.

The bride was represented by a photograph and a mannequin in traditional Thai wedding attire. The man expressed his devotion to her love and hoped to comfort her.