Buddhist Temple Sits Eerily Empty After Abbot's Death

Putthai Sawan Temple in Samphao Lom subdistrict, Ayutthaya province, remains eerily quiet throughout the day despite continuous visits from devotees and tourists seeking blessings. Following media coverage of an incident within the temple, some visitors have been arriving to photograph and check in at the abbot's quarters, which are now cordoned off with rope and door seals preventing public access. However, people continue to gather outside for photos.

Investigating police officers led by Colonel Chorin Buaphuenhom, superintendent of Ayutthaya Provincial Police, conducted a check of the temple grounds before departing, finding no staff or personnel on duty. Only a single caretaker remains on site, responsible for sweeping fallen leaves and branches and cleaning the bathrooms and surrounding areas. The atmosphere throughout the temple complex is notably quiet and lacks the vitality it once had.

A 78-year-old vendor named Grandma Aew, who has operated a shop near the temple entrance for over 30 years, explained that the temple was once bustling with visitors, especially in the evenings, and even offered sword-training classes. After the abbot changed, the atmosphere noticeably declined, possibly due to economic difficulties that discouraged new vendors from investing. She confirmed she lacks details about the recent incidents since she remains outside the temple and has not entered in a long time. Monks who were ordained during the previous abbot's tenure have since been transferred to other temples, changing the character of religious activities at the site.