The country bade farewell to Luang Phor Koon Parisutho, the much revered monk at his cremation during a royally sponsored ceremony in Buddhamonthon in Khon Kaen's Muang district Tuesday night.
The cremation took place at exactly 10.15pm when the ceremony's most senior monk set fire to the crematorium.
The coffin sat atop an elaborate sculpture depicting "nok hassadeelink," a mythical bird which the faithful believed would fly the monk's soul to heaven. That too was also consumed by the flames.
ThaiPBS carried video of the ceremony.
Tuesday night's ceremony was jointly led by the governors of Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima and Nong Khai, as well as the rector of Khon Kaen University and the dean of the university's Faculty of Medicine.
Luang Phor Koon, the former abbot of Wat Ban Rai in Nakhon Ratchasima's Dan Khun Thot district, died in 2015 at the age of 91.
Locals in traditional attire parade offerings on a tray at the foot of the crematorium for Luang Phor Koon Parisutho before the master of ceremonies drives a spear into the statue of ‘nok hassadeelink,’ a mythical bird that carries the coffin in the symbolic final send off for the revered monk. (Photos by patipat janthong)
The coffin containing the revered monk’s body is carried by soldiers to the crematorium atop the mythical bird ‘nok hassadeelink’ at the Buddhamonthon funeral grounds in Khon Kaen.
He had bequeathed his body to the medical school at Khon Kaen University for medical students to study.
The ashes will be taken by the navy and scattered in the middle of the Mekong River in Nong Khai on Wednesday at a location known as phrathat klang nam.
Nong Khai provincial administration has provided space along the river bank for followers to observe the ash scattering ceremony.
Disciples, however, are asked not to enter the river and retrieve flowers scattered along with the ashes.
After the funeral ceremony, the funeral site was sealed off.
Security guards were stationed at the site to prevent anyone gaining access and taking anything as souvenirs.
All remaining items connected with the late monk will go to a museum and memorial dedicated to him to be set up by Khon Kaen University.
Khamman Wongkanchanarat, a younger sister of the late monk, along with Son Chatphonkrang, a younger brother, attended a merit-making ceremony Tuesday morning at Khon Kaen University ahead of the cremation.
Mourners lay out clothes so the vehicle carrying Luang Phor Koon Parisutho’s body can run over them. They believe the clothes will be blessed and bring good luck when they wear them.
Mourners perform a wai en mass around the crematorium at the Buddhamonthon funeral grounds.
Ms Khamman said she was impressed and overwhelmed that such a large number number of disciples still had faith in her brother which was demonstrated at Tuesday's merit-making ceremony.
"Our family is very proud that after his death, Luang Por Koon proved useful for medical students," said Mr Son, praising the late abbot for bequeathing his body to medical science.
In Nakhon Ratchasima's Muang district, where Wat Ban Rai is located, a large number of people were on Tuesday seen gathering around Luang Phor Koon's giant statue as they prepared to bid him farewell.
The fibreglass statue of the late monk squatting while holding a cane in one hand and banknotes in the other is five metres tall.
In front of that statue is a smaller 1-metre tall statue of the late monk where many his followers laid chan, funeral flowers as they paid their last tribute to him throughout the day, on Tuesday.