Revered monk Somdet Phra Maha Ratchamangalacharn, aka Somdet Chuang, abbot of Wat Pak Nam Phasi Charoen in Bangkok, has died aged 96 years.
The abbot had been on kidney dialysis for five years, but had no other underlying conditions like diabetes or hight blood pressure.
He died peacefully on Thursday morning, it was announced on the Borannanma Facebook page.
Somdet Chang was born Chuang Sudprasert on Aug 26, 1925 during the reign of King Rama VI, in Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan. He was the second of four children in the family.
At the age of 14, he was ordained a novice at Wat Sangkha Racha in Lat Krabang district of Bangkok and ordained as a monk at 20 on May 11, 1945 at Wat Pak Nam Pasi Charoen. He founded the Luang Phor Sod Wat Pak Nam foundation to promote the teachings of Buddhism.
In 1965, he became abbot of Wat Pak Nam in Bangkok’s Phasi Charoen district.
He was made acting supreme patriarch on Jan 20, 2014, but the King later favoured the abbot of Wat Ratchabopit for the position.