Over 500 Mae Prik residents surround area to block relocation of late Khruba Yad's remains after will presented

A spiritual center in turmoil: More than 500 Mae Prik residents gathered to blockade the area and oppose the relocation of Khruba Yad's remains to Chiang Mai following the presentation of a will made before his death.

On April 24, 2569, reporters documented the tense atmosphere at Wat Mae Prik Bon in Mae Prik subdistrict, Mae Prik district, Lampang province. Over 500 residents and disciples united in protest, blockading the area and chasing away an ambulance from Chiang Mai that attempted to transfer the remains of Phra Kru Withan Pattana Phon, known as 'Khruba Chao Prayat Akkateho,' the former abbot of Wat Mae Prik Bon, to Chom Thong district in Chiang Mai.

The confrontation arose after lawyers arrived with a document identified as 'a will regarding the appointment of an executor of the remains,' dated October 15, 2563, at Chiang Mai Ram Hospital. The will explicitly stated Khruba Yad's wishes: 'I entrust my remains to Khruba Chao Traiphao Chantavano, to be enshrined at Brahmadhada Buddhasathan in Chom Thong, Chiang Mai, and appoint him as the sole executor of my remains, while requesting the annulment of all previous wills.' The document bears the late abbot's fingerprints and signature, witnessed and certified by nursing staff, prompting the legal team to assert their lawful right to remove the former abbot's remains from the temple.

However, local residents and the community of believers rejected the relocation, insisting that Khruba Yad had long been the spiritual center of Mae Prik. He had spent the Buddhist Lent period at this temple since 2533 until his death. For the community, removing his remains from the temple he built and developed was unacceptable, leading them to surround the ambulance to prevent the transfer.

Local administration officials from Mae Prik district, the subdistrict municipality, and relevant agencies intervened for initial negotiations. The legal team and ambulance subsequently withdrew, with expectations that facts will be verified and a mutual solution found. The situation inside the temple remains closely monitored, as local residents insist the late revered monk's remains should remain at the original temple.

Phra Kru Withan Pattana Phon, known as 'Khruba Yad Akkateho,' passed away peacefully on November 20, 2568, at Maharaj Nakhon Chiang Mai Hospital following continuous treatment for paralysis. He lived 72 years, 11 months, and 47 Buddhist years. Born on January 1, 2496, with the name 'Prayat Petchcaeng,' he ordained as a novice at age 15 and received full ordination at age 21 at Wat Phra Bat Wang Tong. He served as former advisor to the subdistrict headman and former abbot of Wat Mae Prik Bon.