EASING THE PAIN

       The loss of a spouse is a sorrowful turning point in anyone's life, but when Suppawan Duangsuwan's husband passed away two years ago,she found solace in art and has since created an unexpected business venture.
       She spent three days and nights painting her husband's coffin as her final gift. Her artwork made an impression on many mourners at the funeral and some asked her to paint coffins for their loved ones too.
       She opened the Sirimongkon coffinpainting shop in April 2008, where she also sells urns and artificial wood flowers. This later led to her becoming a funeral organiser.
       "I understand the stress involved in hosting a funeral because I have been through it. Some people are unable to organise anything as they are very sad,"said Ms Suppawan.
       "But I'm willing to be a funeral organiser for them as I have had some experience before. I think this business has large room to grow because the market has just a few players."
       There are many coffin shops and each month they sell between 400 and 500 coffins at 5,000 to 7,000 baht, which shows that the market has a high value,she said.
       A study in 2006 by Kasikorn Research Center found that the funeral business was worth about 35 billion baht per year, said Ms Suppawan.
       A funeral in Bangkok typically costs three times that of one organised in the provinces.
       One-stop funeral service organisers attract well-off customers, charging 120,000 to 400,000 baht per funeral,said the research centre.
       Sirimongkon's most popular products are painted coffins and urns and artificial wood flowers. But she limits her orders because all products are hand-made and take time to produce.She spends at least three days to paint a coffin herself.
       "I have at least two or three coffin orders per month. I plan to expand the business and I'm looking for skilled workers who love this job," she said.
       Her coffins are priced from 35,000 to more than 100,000 baht. She plans to soon offer cheaper painted coffins priced at 15,000 to 25,000 baht to capture the middle-class market.
       Sirimongkon organises at least two or three funerals a month, charging about 200,000 to 300,000 baht for a funeral lasting five to seven days.
       In addition to marketing online at w.sirimongkon.com -and through word of mouth, Ms Suppawan plans promotional campaigns featuring booths at temples and hospitals.
       "Many people, particularly the rich,have ordered coffins for themselves and even their loved ones. I am working on a customised coffin. One customer told me what coffin he would like. I think people no longer think that [plac-ing an order while still alive] will bring them bad luck," said Ms Suppawan.
       "I love this job. It is artistic work.And I feel good that I can make other people happy with my work. I think it's a way of doing good for other people,while I can feed my family after losing my husband."