The funeral trade has always grown consistently, boosted by an increasing number of deaths in the Kingdom, says a study by Institute for Population and Social Research of Mahidol University.

Coffin sales and the provision of funeral and cremation services were impervious to the late-1990s economic crisis while most other businesses flopped, says lead researcher Assistant Professor Sirinan Kittisuksathit.

"Neither market strategies nor government intervention were needed to keep the business lucrative," she said.

Coffins range in price from Bt800 to above Bt200,000, with refrigerated caskets coming in at between Bt30,000 and 60,000, according to the research.

In 1996 about 314,000 Thais died and if multiplied by that year's average coffin price of Bt4,500, the total sales would reach Bt1.4 billion, estimates the research.

This year the projected number of deaths is set at 450,000 and even when multiplied by the relatively low cost of a 1996 coffin, around Bt2 billion would still be spent on the morbid wooden boxes, says Sirinan.

The funeral costs include using a temple's morgue and paying for prayer services, cremation, undertakers, wreaths, refreshments, shrouds, ceremonial rope and souvenirs.

A funeral can cost from Bt9,000 to more than Bt70,000, varying according to the number of days it lasts and the size of the temple, says the study.

Usually, a Buddhist funeral lasts for between three and seven days. A three-day funeral at a small temple could cost less than Bt15,000.

A vibrant funeral trade does not just mean more cash for funeral directors but also more jobs, the study says.

Coffins and the wooden flower placed on the coffin called a dok mai chan are often handmade by family businesses.

"Death is certain so the business will always move on and evolve," said Siriran.

For example, some coffin makers designed refrigerated caskets to preserve the body, particularly for rural funerals where preserving a corpse is more difficult.

Developments in the service mean mourning relatives hardly have to consider anything other than their ability to pay. When a patient dies in hospital, a list of funeral directors is provided to relatives.

These businesses often donate money to hospitals in exchange for a recommendation, says Sirinan.

"People normally are willing to pay to make a final tribute to a loved one," said Sirinan. "But maybe there should be more measures to protect the consumer."

She would like to see the costs of funeral services included in life-insurance policies.

Sirinan also suggests the government consider integrating this "never-die business" into the One Tambon One Product and other job-creation schemes.

Arthit Khwankhom

The Nation