Funeral Ceremony Dispute Escalates: Family Files Complaint with Provincial Buddhist Affairs Office After Abbot Bars Monks from Rival Temple
A family filed a complaint with Chumphon's Buddhist authorities after an abbot barred monks from a rival temple from participating in funeral rites on May 12, citing temple policy, sparking a dispute between two temples linked to a revered
At 10 a.m. on May 14, 2025, Virot, 53, from Salui Subdistrict in Tha Sae District, Chumphon Province—the brother of the deceased Serem (Kuay)—along with relatives and Amornrat Junkrajchai, a representative of Luang Pho Proong's disciples' association, filed a formal complaint with Phra Khru Bundit Thammatada, acting provincial Buddhist abbot, at Koh Kaew Dusit Yarnrangsaritsdi Temple in Wang Phai Subdistrict. The complaint detailed an incident from May 12, 2025, at Tham Phru Takian Temple's funeral pavilion, where the host had invited 15 monks from Tham Phru Takian Temple and 10 monks from Khao Chedi Temple in Patiu District—25 monks total—to chant funeral rites. However, the abbot of Tham Phru Takian Temple refused to allow the Khao Chedi monks to sit on the designated platform, claiming it was "temple policy." This caused significant displeasure among the family and community members, as both temples are disciples of the late Luang Pho Proong Chotigo, a renowned southern Thai monk.
The complaint raised five key questions to the Chumphon Provincial Buddhist Council: whether Buddhist teachings prohibit monks from chanting funeral rites together; what teachings the abbot violated; how the council would resolve the issue; what punishment the abbot would face if he violated Buddha's teachings; and a request to transfer the abbot and appoint neutral clergy to replace him, given that the community had helped establish Tham Phru Takian Temple alongside Luang Pho Proong.
Phra Khru Bundit Thammatada responded that he was awaiting factual reports from the monastic hierarchy before considering solutions, emphasizing that "temples and communities must depend on each other."
The complainants subsequently filed an additional complaint at the Chumphon Provincial Buddhist Affairs Office, where director Busra Kaowchaturad received them personally. She stated she would coordinate with the Tham Phru Takian Temple abbot to clarify the facts and rationale behind the policy to resolve the community dispute.
