Lucky Numbers Buzz at Wat Chainawat Cremation Ceremony in Suphan Buri—Lottery Frenzy Over 'Lucky Digits'
Lottery enthusiasts descended on Wat Chainawat temple in Suphan Buri for the inauguration of a new eco-friendly crematorium on May 10, which doubled as a lucky number-hunting opportunity. A test cremation for a 109-year-old man sparked interest in numbers 492, 83, and 109, leading crowds to buy out lottery vendors inside the temple for the May 16 draw. The ceremony, funded with 2 million baht, combined traditional Buddhist practices with the popular Thai custom of seeking lucky numbers from auspicious occasions.
On May 10, Udom Prongfah, chairman of the Suphan Buri Provincial Administration Organization, led an incense and candle lighting ceremony at Wat Chainawat in Mueang District to inaugurate a new pollution-free crematorium, funded with 2 million baht from the provincial administration. The temple held a test cremation for a 109-year-old man named Kluay, with participants writing wishes for the removal of suffering, sorrow, sickness, and hardship on papers placed in the coffin. After the ceremony, Udom and community members paid respects to a statue of the late Luang Pho Thom, the temple's former abbot. Attendees then sought out lucky numbers: 109 (the deceased's age) and 492 and 83 (derived from the coffin lid), creating such a frenzy that lottery vendors sold out their inventory within the temple grounds as everyone rushed to buy tickets for the May 16 lottery draw.