Locals believe a mysterious destructive force caused the collapse of a Buddha statue at a monastery on the banks of the Mekong River in the Isaan province of Amnat Charoen on November 29, killing one monk and injuring five others.
Officers from Chanuman Police Station investigated the fatal accident at Kaeng Kansung Monastery in Chanuman district, Amnat Charoen. Upon arrival, they found a shattered Buddha statue at its base. The incident occurred while monks were gradually removing the statue’s moulds after filling it with concrete.
The statue is of the great Buddha in a standing gesture. It is 12 metres high, including its lotus flower base. The Buddha statue itself was 9 metres tall.
CCTV footage captured the statue collapsing to the ground narrowly missing a monk and a dog, both of whom managed to flee the scene.
Tragically, five monks working near the statue were injured, and one, 37 year old Patipan Udonlap, lost his life in the collapse. Among the injured was 33 year old Paiwan Wantangphong, who told Amarin TV that he was at some distance from the statue and sustained injuries from falling fragments.
Paiwan speculated that strong winds on the day might have contributed to the incident but was uncertain about the exact cause.
Locals interviewed by Channel 7 reported that several mishaps occurred during the statue’s construction before. Many attributed these to malevolent spirits. They claimed the statue’s location was previously the site of an antique house and the spirits tied to the land might have been displeased with the changes.
Building without permission
The abbot of the monastery, Wirachate Chinwangso, explained that the monk overseeing the construction was from another temple. The moulds were removed from the statue just one day after the concrete was poured.
Wirachate admitted he was concerned about the premature removal of the moulds, but the supervising monk assured him of its safety, citing prior experience. Additionally, the moulds were needed urgently by another temple, which expedited the operation.
Despite the tragedy, Wirachate dismissed claims of supernatural involvement, attributing the collapse to structural and procedural shortcomings. Nonetheless, he pledged to conduct ceremonies to ward off destructive spirits for the sake of local morale.
Renowned lawyer and president of the Dhamma Lawyer Army Foundation, Ananchai Chaiyadate, commented on the incident, attributing it to a lack of construction expertise.
Ananchai highlighted that many temples, particularly in Isaan, do not secure permits or hire qualified professionals for construction projects. He called on relevant government agencies to enforce stricter regulations for religious construction projects to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
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