“This fascinating documentary describes the strange phenomena of the Body Snatchers of Bangkok. We discover the Por Tec Tung (PTT) foundation which is an organisation driven by Buddhist principles and religious beliefs.
The volunteers act as an emergency service by attending road traffic accidents, disasters, fires, murders, killings, multiple deaths, suicides and natural deaths to remove the fatally injured and those fortunate to still be alive.
Bangkok has a poor ambulance service and so this is an extremely crucial requirement.
The PTT act as an ambulance service but chiefly with the purpose to remove the bodies as quickly as possible because their vehicles do not have the facility that western ambulances might have.
Merit making (good Karma, gaining return in reincarnation for your good deeds) is the key driver for the PTT members.
This is a Chinese group in Thailand but is accepted due to the similarity of their beliefs. They help poor people less, fortunate than themselves and they can earn 4 times national average.
The Buddhist Organisation has an annual turnover of over 4 Million Pounds and aim to help others to reap the rewards in afterlife for self and family members.
They gain donations from members of the dead’s family because this is also important for the family to be seen to be giving. Donate and be kind and good to others. Many of them are monks themselves or have been monks for a period of time.
Pay respect to the monk and gain merit for the PTTand for the member’s families. Volunteers can work as volunteers for one night on one night off and there is a special status associated with being in the PTT…many of them find themselves improving their lot or gaining almost celebrity status.
The shows many of the beliefs and traditions of the Thai Chinese and their desire for the correct reincarnation and even Nirvana.
Arrival on the scene of an accident can be like “Organised Chaos” as described in the video. The scene is videod by members in order to promote the PTT in the media and gain additional support.
Buddhists have a completely different perspective on death and monks are required to contemplate death and in many cases the corpses and for many members it is this that draws them into the PTT and the monastery.
Anyone of any nationality dropping dead or being killed in Bangkok will likely be attended to by the PTT but there is a competition for the corpses and the Ruam Katanyu, a rival organisation have been know to fight and kill over the spoils of the disaster!
Read more about the PTT with an article here in CNN.”
