Khon Kaen University rejected a request yesterday by relatives of Luang Phor Khoon, who want to reclaim for cremation the body of the late revered monk from the university at the end of its use for medical studies.
The university's Faculty of Medicine has to follow the will of Luang Phor Khoon, who wanted the faculty to handle the cremation of his body after it was used for anatomy studies, said Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, dean of the faculty.
The monk's relatives want to have the body back so they can hold a cremation ceremony at Wat Ban Rai temple in Nakhon Ratchasima's Dan Khun Thot district where Luang Phor Khoon served as abbot before he died, said Dr Charnchai.
Luang Phor Khoon said in his will he wanted the cremation and merit-making ceremonies that would be held after the end of the university's studies on his body to be as simple as possible, said Dr Charnchai.
No extravagant ceremonies are allowed and the late monk did not want anyone to request a royal-sponsored cremation ceremony for him, said the dean, citing the monk's will.
The monk wanted his body to be cremated in the same manner as the other bodies used by the university for anatomy studies, said the dean.
Normally, the bodies are cremated at Wat Nong Waeng temple in Khon Kaen's Muang district or any other temples in the same province which the faculty believes is appropriate, he said.
After the cremation, the monk said in the will he wanted his ashes and relics to be scattered in the Mekong River and the faculty plans to do so in a part of the river in Nong Khai province, he said. He said he understood how the relatives wanting to have the body of the monk feel; but since instructions are clearly stated, the university has to follow them or else it may face a criminal charge for violating the will.
On Tuesday, Khamman Wongkanjanarat, 91, the younger sister of the late monk, along with other relatives and followers, submitted a letter to the university requesting to have the body back for a cremation they planned to conduct at Wat Ban Rai temple.
Ms Khamman said that as the use of the monk's body for studies is scheduled to end on May 16 next year, his relatives and followers now wish to reclaim the body so they may hold a ceremony to pay their last tributes to the late monk.
"Since the day he passed away, he [his body] has yet to return to Wat Ban Rai. And his relatives and even the people in his family have not had the chance to hold a merit-making for him," she said.
In Nakhon Ratchasima, Thawatchai Saenprasit, kamnan of tambon Kut Phimai in Dan Khon Thot district, who is a member of Wat Ban Rai temple's committee, said everyone in Dan Khun Thot district felt connected with Luang Phor Khoon for a longtime.
He understood how they would feel if the cremation ceremony of the late monk will have to be held in Khon Kaen, said Mr Thawatchai. Not everyone can afford such a long trip to attend the ceremony, so all he could say is he still wishes the university may understand these poor followers of the late monk.
Thawat Ruangrai, another temple committee member, said the university is allowed in the will to decide on its own where the cremation may be held.