From Moscow to the coffin: Russians join Thai fortune ritual

2026-02-18 - 12:03

NAKHON NAYOK — Russian tourists traveled to Wat Luang Phor Pak Daeng Temple in Nakhon Nayok province to take part in a coffin-lying ritual believed to dispel bad luck and boost fortune. The ceremony, held at the temple in Ban Yai subdistrict, Muang district, drew both Russian visitors and Thai devotees after coverage on television and online media. Participants lay inside one of five coffins arranged at the temple as monks chanted funeral rites. The ritual symbolises “practising death before real death,” reminding participants of life’s impermanence. During the ceremony, monks turned the body from west to east, recited prayers, gave blessings and sprinkled holy water to ward off misfortune. The event was presided over by Phra Ratchaphromkhun, the Nakhon Nayok provincial ecclesiastical chief and abbot of Wat Phra Mani, also known as Wat Luang Phor Pak Daeng. In addition to the coffin rite, participants received sacred markings on the forehead and palms, and yantra inscriptions on their wallets for prosperity. Temple officials said the ritual is intended not only to dispel bad luck but also to encourage mindfulness and reflection on the inevitability of death.