A conflict over the right to organise a festival celebrating the worship of a sacred Buddha footprint replica on Khao Khitchakut in Chanthaburi became increasingly tense after local residents blocked the entrance to the mountain with mounds of soil.
At least 100 followers and temple committee members of Wat Krathing on Tuesday used six-wheel trucks to dump soil on a a section of the Ban Pluang route passing Wat Pluang, which is also the road to Khao Khitchakut, where the annual Khao Khitchakut Phraputthabat worship is being held, Thai media reported on Wednesday.
The road blockade caught people coming from other provinces to worship the Buddha footprint replica on the mountain off guard. Many had no choice but to wait in the area.
The dispute emerged between committee members of Wat Krathing and a panel of monks organising the festival from Wat Pluang. The Wat Krathing committee members were upset after the panel of monks had refused to let them take part in the festival’s activities on the mountain this year.
Pensri Charuwuttanapan, 56, a worshipper from Ratchaburi’s Photharam district, said she joined the festival to worship the Buddha footprint replica for the 28th time this year. She and her friends rented several vans to travel from Ratchaburi to Khao Khitchakut. Some of her friends returned home as they were uncertain about the situation.
‘’This blockage puzzles us. We are left speechless when facing this situation, but we still have our faith in the Lord Buddha. We will try to find ways to access the venue as we are determined to worship the Buddha footprint replica. We hope they settle the row soon,’’ said Ms Pensri.
Chanthaburi governor Samart Loyfa said the road block happened at the time he called a meeting with a panel of monks organising the festival on Tuesday afternoon to solve the row between committee members from the two temples.
The meeting, held at Wat Pluang, agreed that 22 vehicles from Wat Krathing would be allowed to provide services at the base of the mountain, said the governor.
Deputy Chanthaburi governor Klanarong Pongcharoen and provincial police chief Charan Jitjuekul were assigned to hold talks with representatives from Wat Krathing and Wat Pluang.
So far, there was no agreement. The road block continued on Wednesday.
A source said the conflict over the right to organise the Khao Khitchakut Phraputthabat worship festival erupted following the death of Phra Khru Thammasorakhun, the then abbot of Wat Krathing.