Police probe missing monk’s body from refrigerated glass coffin

Sakhon Nakhon provincial police are now investigating and finding the body of a senior which went missing from a refrigerated glass coffin in a temple just before a royal cremation will be held on Saturday.

The police suspected that the body of Phra Khru Sophon Thammapiwat, the former abbot of Wat Sirimongkol and former chief monk of  Phang Khon district in the northeastern province of Sakon Nakhon might be stolen.

Earlier monks at Wat Sirimongkol temple found that the body of Phra Khru Sophon Thammaphiwat has mysteriously disappeared from a refrigerated coffin at the temple.

The pillows were placed in the coffin and blanketed the pillows with the robe to fool that the body was still in the coffin.

Phra Khru Thammasiriwat, the sub-district deputy chief monk of Phang Khon district, who was taking care of the body, said that the body of Phra Khru Sophon Thammaphiwat disappeared Wednesday at around 19.00 pm.

He said the late monk’s relatives, villagers and members of the temple committee have agreed to open the coffin to prepare for the royal cremation ceremony on April 22.

When they opened the coffin, they were shocked when the body was not in but disappeared.

They informed Phang Khon police of the disappearance of the late monk’s remains.

Police were investigating a number of people to find out where the body had been moved and why.

Initially it was believed that the assets of the temple may be the reason of the disappearance because Phra Khru Sophon Thammaphiwat has owned a lot of assets and he has bought life insurance.

Police have also considered the belief of some group of people who have faith in superstition or black magic.

They also believed at least more than four persons were involved as the frozen body was heavy and needed many to many people to remove from the coffin.

Phra Khru Sophon died on January 27 at the age of 79. He was put in the refrigerated coffin on January 28. The cremation ceremony was scheduled to be held on April 22.

Thai PBS

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