You might have wondered what life after death is like but have you ever considered what life is like for those who spend their days with the dead? This Halloween, while so many people are talking about ghouls and ghosts, BK introduces you to the people whose jobs involve meeting real dead bodies every day.

Dead job #1

Burn after praying

Tri Kulchart, 40-year-old mortician at Hualampong Temple. For over ten years Tri has been caring for and preparing the bodies that come to the temple ready for their cremation.

How did you start doing this job? I used to be a street vendor before I got a job as a construction worker at Hualampong temple. Then my brother said, “Why don’t you stay at the temple?” I’d always felt like the outside world was too fussy anyway, so I just gave it a try. I have now been at the temple since 1998.
What was seeing your first body like? The first bodies were tough but you eventually get used to it.
What’s your general routine with the body? I clean, dress and then put the bodies into the coffin and then sleep with the coffin at night. Then I lead the prayer at the ceremony until the cremation, before collecting the bones and ashes for the relatives. In some cases, I also go out to bring the bodies back to the temple. The worst cases are the ones that have been hit by cars. They come in piece by piece.
What are people reactions to what you do for a living? It really depends but most are fine with it. They just always ask, “Don’t you feel afraid?” I don’t.
How much do you earn? It depends on what the relatives give me. We receive no official salary.
Do you believe in ghosts or spirits? Yes. Normally, I am not afraid of the bodies that come to the temple, but I get scared if I knew the person when they were alive.
Any supernatural experiences? Yes. I recently saw the spirit of a guy I knew. He was stabbed to death. I saw his spirit walking around the temple where he used to live. I thought it was odd that he was still around. Then I went to the hospital and found that no-one had taken his body home yet. So I contacted his family to come and get him and I didn’t see his spirit again.
Has it changed your attitude towards death? Yes. 12-years of working here and I now see death as natural. I have also realized that you don’t need to chase things for a happy, simple life.
Philosophy? Do the best to send them off peacefully.

Dead job #2

Searching for Truth

Pol. Maj. Napapat Nattasumon, 31, is the forensic medical doctor at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Police General Hospital where she examines bodies to discover the real cause of death.

How did you start doing this job? I chose to become a forensic doctor because I loved to watch crime investigation movies. I was so fascinated by the way they searched for the truth. While others were scared watching horror movies, I was like studying it, thinking why was the blood there? How they did make it look that real? Why did the bodies look like that? So I studied medicine first and then later on I started working at the Police Hospital where I requested a scholarship to study forensic science for three years.
What was seeing your first body like? My first was at the Forensics Museum at Siriraj University while studying at medical school. I was kind of freaked out early on that this was what I had to deal with, but things changed after I began doing meditation. I started to understand how things really were.
What are people’s reactions when they find out what you do? They’re curious about how I can work with dead bodies.
How much do you earn? That depends on our police ranks. Now I get B17,000 plus professional fees and public servant welfare.
What’s your general routine when you receive the body? First of all, I have to check what bodies are waiting to have an autopsy. There are normally about 15 bodies a day split between two of us. Our job is to track down the true cause of death by carrying out a thorough medical examination. Then we tell the relatives and the police what exactly happened to the body. Sometimes, we will go out to check the body at the crime scene if the police ask us. In my team, we also spend time in the southern provinces due to the high number of deaths down there.
Do you believe in ghosts or spirits? Yes.
Any supernatural experiences? Well maybe. I am not sure if it was truly supernatural or not but there was one case where the relatives didn’t want us to perform an autopsy. I prayed to the body of the dead man and told him that if he wanted his family to find out what made him die, please convince them to let me perform the autopsy. Out of nowhere, his relatives gave me the green light. I found that the cause of death was bleeding in the stomach, a genetic condition that could have killed all his relatives if it had gone undiscovered.
Has it changed your attitude towards death? After seeing lots of causes of death, I have prepared myself for death and made sure that there will be no burdens for my family.
Philosophy? Bringing justice to the dead because they can’t speak.

Dead job #3

Guardian Angel

As ICU nurse manager at Samitivej Hospital, Nitorn Washirasawass, 39 is on the front line of the struggle between life and death and the first person to help relatives with the grieving process.

How did you start doing this job? I had a girly dream to become a nurse after watching lots of movies where nurses save the patient’s lives. That impressed me. I studied nursing at Chiang Mai University before deciding to become a nurse in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in 1993. I felt I could use my knowledge best in this unit.
What’s your general routine with the body? I usually deal with the patients, but after they pass away, the most important people are their relatives. We will ask them what they want to do with the body and we will help them organize that. We will do everything possible to honor the dead and their memory […in tears]. I never let my tears fall in front of the patients or their relatives though. We have to be strong when they are in sorrow. They need someone to soothe them and make them feel better.
What are people’s reactions when they find out what you do? They ask me why I don’t choose another unit that doesn’t have so many critical patients or deaths.
How much do you earn? Depends on your experience and level and the hospital.
Do you believe in spirits or ghosts? Yes.
Any supernatural experiences? No.
Has it changed your attitude towards death? It’s made me appreciate that it’s a natural thing.
Philosophy? Make every minute of your life worthwhile and valuable while you’re still alive.

Dead job #4

Real-life CSI

Pol. Capt. Saralnuch Choo-klin (right), 28, and Pol. Lt. Sommhai Saengkaew, 28, are both scientists (Level 1) at the Crime Scene Investigation Sub Division of the Royal Thai Police. It’s their job to visit crime and accident scenes and pick up valuable evidence to help solve the case.

How did you start doing this job? We both graduated in science from university with the hope of working in the industrial sector, but we heard that the Royal Thai Police were recruiting scientists. We decided to take the test and after studying for two years, we became part of the Crime Scene Investigation Division.
What was seeing your first body like?
Saralnuch: Because you spend two years studying existing cases where you see lots of pictures of bodies, I actually handled it better than expected.
Sommhai: Yes, I was also already prepared for it.
What are people’s reactions when they find out what you do?
Saralnuch: They seem a little afraid of what we’re doing.
Sommhai: Some people ask us, “Are you really a CSI officer?” Because of our girly looks.
What’s your general routine with the body? Collecting evidence on and around the body, fingerprints, blood samples or any other on-scene evidence. The witnesses might change their testimony in court so we need solid evidence in a murder or robbery case. For cases of fires, we have to find if it was on purpose or an accident.
How much do you earn? Depends on your police rank.
Do you believe in ghosts or spirits? Yes.
Supernatural experiences? Never.
Has it changed your attitude towards death?
Saralnuch: I’m more alert about what I am doing.
Sommhai: Yes, I am more cautious in my everyday life.
Philosophy? Giving justice for the dead people.

Dead job #5

Real life Hero

As a rescue volunteer at the Ruamkatanyu Foundation, Anyawuth Poampai, 37, is usually one of the first on the scene of motoring accidents.

How did you start doing this job? I used to be a waen boy racing my motorcycle around. One day, I was 15, I went to drink with friends and on the way home I came across a female driver who had hit an old man. She was in shock and didn’t know what to do, while the old guy lay on the road bleeding. I parked my moto and asked her “Why don’t you help him?” and she just said, “I can’t move.” I ended up driving the old man to the hospital in her car even though I didn’t know how to drive, she had to guide me. At the hospital, the old man’s relatives were so thankful for what I had done. At that moment, I decided I wanted to be a rescue volunteer and I have now been doing it since 1989. I am now part of a permanent rescue team.
What’s your general routine? I am stationed at the Rama 9-Ratchada area from 8am-8pm. I will monitor any accidents and help transport casualties to the hospital as fast as possible.
What are people’s reactions when they find out what you do? Most people are a little afraid and ask how I cope with the blood and bodies.
How much do you earn? B13,000.
Do you believe in ghosts? Yes.
Any supernatural experiences? Yes. I once smelled a dead body in my apartment. I went out to work and was radioed that a body had been found in a building elsewhere in my area. When I arrived at the scene the scent of the body was the exact same smell as at my apartment. I think the dead man might have come looking for me to help him.
Has it changed your attitude towards death? I don’t drive or do things recklessly anymore. We can die so easily.
Philosophy? Everyone has their loved ones. Help them survive as much as possible.

Dead job #6

autopsy assistant

Squad leader Pol. Snr. Sgt. Maj. Banjong Thonghai, 39, is responsible for placing the bodies into the mortuary at the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the Police General Hospital before preparing them for autopsy.

How did you start doing this job? I graduated from the Royal Police Cadet Academy as a police lance corporal and became a crime scene police officer for six years. Then I applied to the Institute of Forensic Medicine as I thought it would be interesting.
What was seeing your first body like? I thought I was already familiar with seeing bodies at crime scenes. But in fact, I found that I really couldn’t handle seeing the bodies undergoing the autopsy operation. I couldn’t eat for weeks.
What’s your general routine with the body? I take any new bodies that have arrived to the mortuary room, then take the bodies that we received the day before to the autopsy room to prepare them for the doctor. I had to practice cutting open the bodies, as we actually cut open Thai and foreigner’s different ways. For Thais we just make an “I” shape incision while for foreigners we cut a “Y” shape. Some foreigners might have an open coffin so the Y shape is better for dressing. Once we’ve cut open the main body, I then have to saw open the head to reveal the brain. The first time I had to carry a brain, my hands were shaking. The most difficult bodies are the ones that have been injected with formalin to preserve them. It makes the body very tough and also it’s so smelly and acrid. If there is some big incident like a tsunami or plane crash, we also have to go to the scene to help identify the bodies.
What are people’s reactions when they find out what you do? Curiosity about how I can deal with it.
How much do you earn? Depends on our police ranks. Now I receive B16,000 plus.
Do you believe in ghosts and spirits? Yes.
Any supernatural experiences? I’ve never seen a ghost, but I have experienced weird feelings, like finding it hard to breathe as if something was constricting my body. But I’m not sure. Maybe I just slept in the wrong position.
Has it changed your attitude towards death? We’re all the same, we come with nothing and go with nothing. So why not try and do good things.
Philosophy? Sympathy to the dead and bring them justice.

Dead job #7

Living with the Dead

Rung Poebua, 52, is the undertaker at the 150 year old cemetery situated on Silom Road, the largest Chinese cemetery in Bangkok. He’s responsible for making sure the dead get to their final resting place without any hitches.

How did you start doing this job? My family have been undertakers for this cemetery for ages and ages. I have been working at this job since I was born.
What’s your general routine with the body? I do everything from digging the hole and decorating the graves to cleaning the cemetery for annual festivals like Chinese New Year or Qing Ming. Now there are real estate developments that are taking over parts of the old cemetery to build on, so I have to dig up the old graves and take the bodies out for relatives to move them to a new cemetery. Some bodies are now just bones, but some are all dried like a mummy. I handle the whole cemetery.
What are people’s reactions when they find out what you do? They understand what we’re doing.
How much do you earn? Depends on what the relatives give. We have to have another job because we can’t make a living just taking care of the cemetery.
Do you believe in ghosts and spirits? Yes.
Any supernatural experiences? Never.
Has it changed your attitude towards death? Handling lots of graves makes me take a more relaxed outlook on life.
Philosophy? Respect the dead.

Dead job #8

Dead Focus

As crime photographer at the Thairath Newspaper, Suvasan Chomkaew, 37, has spent the last ten years capturing some of the most grisly cases for Thailand’s biggest selling daily paper.

How did you start doing this job? I applied in 1996 right after I graduated from Siam University with a major in Advertising. I felt that this job would never be boring. New things happen every day which is kind of fun. I don’t even have to read the newspaper because I am there at the heart of the action.
What was seeing your first body like? It wasn’t actually for work. It was my friend’s brother and he had been kept in the coffin for 100 days. When they took him out, the body looked so bad I nearly threw up. The image of it stopped me from sleeping.
What are people’s reactions when they find out what you do? They keep asking me how I can encounter so many horrific incidents.
How much do you earn? B10,000 plus good welfare.
What’s your general routine with the body? I cover any news events, but in some cases there are bodies. All I have to do is be there first but not destroy the evidence at the crime scene. I have to take a great shot of the body to get it printed on the front page. Once, I even asked a volunteer to carry a severed arm of a guy and put it next to his body. That picture made the front page of the next day’s newspaper.
Do you believe in ghosts? Yes.
Any supernatural experiences? Never. Just exciting experiences covering some of the biggest news stories and trying not to get caught taking the photos!
Has it changed your attitude towards death? It makes me more careful about daily life. Some people died so easily even though they only had a tiny cut, while someone who loses an arm survives. Now I’m much less negligent.
Philosophy? Make the great shot but don’t take too much risk.

Dead job #9

The final touches

Make-up artist Manassaporn “Sri “ Amornnan, 47, who works at the Chest Disease Institute, Nonthaburi province, has the task of making sure the deceased look their best in the next life.

How did you start doing this job? I worked in a coffin shop for 17 years and have now been stationed at the Chest Disease Institute mortuary selling coffins for the pastfive years. It all started when I noticed the bodies using the coffins in the shop were so pale. I wanted to make them look better, so I started using my own cosmetics. Then some families asked me to take the job more seriously, so I decided to do it as the main part of the job. I even took a short make-up course to learn more.
What was seeing your first body like? At the beginning I was scared but now not at all. I got used to it.
What are people’s reactions when they find out what you do? They say I am such a cool woman who can be so at ease with a dead body.
How much do you earn? B9,000 plus.
What’s your general routine with the body? My work is to take care of the body once it is moved down to the morgue. I have to clean the body, handle the paper work, store the body in a frozen room, contact the family, sell them a coffin and do the make-up. In case the family can’t afford to buy a coffin, I try to arrange for a donation. I will take care of the body until it is moved to the temple.
Do you believe in ghosts? Yes.
Any supernatural experiences? Only once. I was putting make-up on the body as usual and another guy was injecting the formalin into the body at the same time. That night I had a dream that the person came to tell me that when the formalin was injected into her body, she choked, just like what you’d feel when you drown. Ever since, I speak to the body every time before we inject the formalin. It’s weird that many times, the family will come up to me and say, “How did you know that the person likes their make-up done this way or in this particular color?” So I think the spirits somehow can connect to me.
Has it changed your attitude towards death? I’m easy going and don’t expect too much. Human’s are nothing. Only good deeds will last.
Philosophy? I ask for permission from the body every time, tell him or her to somehow let me know what color I should do or which style he or she would prefer.

BK Asks: If you could talk to anyone who is already dead, who would it be?

Tales of dumb deaths from Thailand in 2010

Ready to party? Have a look at our round-up of Halloween shenanigans