Q&A:Duangsamorn Sewatadit

July 4th, 2008

Many people are afraid of ghosts, and some simply write them off as absolute nonsense. But not Duangsamorn Sewatadit. The 45-year-old undertaker, who believes that ghosts exist, aims to help them rest in peace. Discretion advised for those of a nervous disposition.

BK: How did you become an undertaker?

Duangsamorn Sewatadit: I knew an undertaker who needed more people to help out in funerals, so I simply lent him a hand. And when he became too old he asked me to take over his job. He also told me to observe the five Buddhist precepts to ward off evil spirits, and later he passed on his mystical powers to me.

BK: What do you have to do?

DS: I am in charge of all the arrangements for a funeral, from cleaning up the sala to preparing the equipment needed for the bathing rites for the corpse. I also have to pay homage to the dead and put the corpse into the coffin. Then, I’ll lead the family members and other guests to pray and ask for forgiveness for the wrongs they mighthave committed to the dead in the past. I also talk to the corpses, telling them to pay respect to the monks and to rest in peace.

BK: Is it hard for a woman to be an undertaker?

DS: Not really. There are two types of undertakers: those who study to become an undertaker and someone like me who is a sapparue krob, meaning an undertaker whose powers are passed down through bloodline or are passed on by other veteran undertakers. We automatically know what to do. This might sound absurd for people who aren’t one of us.

BK: Are you afraid of corpses?

DS: No. An undertaker mustn’t be afraid of dead bodies. Doctors have to take care of their patients, and we, undertakers, have to take care of the dead. It’s our duty.

BK: What about ghosts?

DS: At first, I didn’t believe in ghosts, but I do now. Those who don’t believe have never seen a ghost. For example, there was one female soul asking me to contact her husband.

BK: Were you scared?

DS: Not at all. She wasn’t an evil spirit and she looked like a normal person. I did what she asked and she never showed up again.

BK: How much do you earn?

DS: I get B100 from the temple a day and I sometimes get extra money from the hosts and family members. But the monks always tell me that an undertaker should be a giver, not a taker.

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