A group of hungry European tourists were left embarrassed after accidentally crashing a funeral in Thailand, having mistaken the memorial buffet for a public restaurant.
The awkward incident took place on January 31 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, where a traditional Thai funeral was being held. According to those in attendance, two German backpackers wandered into the venue after following the smell of food from a nearby night market.
Rows of round tables filled with dishes led the pair to believe they had stumbled upon a food court or local buffet. A video of the moment later went viral, showing the tourists sitting at a table and waiting for a menu, seemingly unaware they were surrounded by mourners.
Charantorn Chaloemkiad, who was attending the wake, said he approached the tourists to see what they were doing. “They asked if the place was a food court,” he explained. Once he told them it was a funeral, the pair were visibly shocked and deeply apologetic.
“They were mortified,” Charantorn said, though he admitted he found the mix-up amusing. The tourists immediately prepared to leave, but the family of the deceased had a very different reaction.
Rather than asking them to go, the deceased’s sister invited the embarrassed visitors to stay and eat. She personally served them iced milk and freshly fried dough sticks, easing the tension with a warm display of hospitality. After finishing their food, the tourists thanked the family and quietly left the venue.
Surprisingly, the mix-up didn’t end there.
Just two days later, three brothers from the Netherlands made the same mistake. They entered the funeral venue believing it was a restaurant and even asked if cocktails were available. Once again, instead of being turned away, the family welcomed them, offered food, and allowed them to stay.
According to Charantorn, the Dutch visitors were stunned by the kindness shown to them and said Thai people were “the kindest in the world.”
While the situation was undeniably awkward, the incident has since been widely shared online as a reminder of both cultural misunderstandings and the generosity often shown at Thai funerals, which traditionally last several days and include food for guests.
