Ageing Southeast Asia fights fears of death to brave the inevitable

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Aidan Jones,Kolette LimMarch 21, 2026 at 01:00 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

In Southeast Asia, the death industry is expanding due to an aging population and evolving attitudes towards end-of-life arrangements. Viroj Suriyasenee, a Thai funeral director, reports increasing demand for personalized coffins, reflecting a desire for individual expression even in death. He showcased his bespoke coffins at Death Fest in Bangkok, a three-day expo focused on death and its associated costs. The event highlighted a growing openness to discussing and confronting death, with attendees exploring coffins and engaging with the macabre in a lighthearted manner. Viroj and his daughter Ramida operate Suriya Funeral, a 70-year-old family business catering to this changing market.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Nonthaburi 40% Asia 50% Ramida 50% Death Fest ×260% Bangkok 60% Suriya Funeral 70% Thailand ×380% Viroj Suriyasenee ×590%

Keywords

death 100% funeral 90% coffins 80% thailand 70% death economy 60% tradition 50% cremation 50% grief 40% death fest 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Positive

Score: 0.20

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Thailand

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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death funeral coffins thailand death economy tradition cremation grief death fest

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