A Buddhist monastery in Thailand’s Phichit province is under investigation after police discovered 41 cadavers allegedly used for meditation practices, authorities confirmed on Sunday.
The investigation, reported by Agence France-Presse (AFP), follows a similar discovery days earlier at another monastery.
“The bodies were accompanied with death and body donation certificates,” a senior police officer told AFP. “We are trying to make sure that none of the dead bodies were stolen,” the officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Police are currently reaching out to the families of the deceased to verify if the bodies were donated willingly.
The discovery at Pa Nakhon Chaibovorn monastery on Saturday came just days after 12 bodies were found at another monastery in Kamphaeng Phet province on Wednesday, according to Thai local media reports.
The abbot of the Phichit monastery, Phra Ajarn Saifon Phandito, defended the practice, stating it is part of a meditation technique he developed.
“Many of the people who come to learn are abbots and all these monks… pass on the knowledge,” he told Thai PBS. “I don’t know how many have adopted my technique.”
In a separate interview with another local TV station, Phra Ajarn Saifon elaborated, saying, “Practitioners meditate in pavilions that hold coffins with the human remains.”
Phichit police confirmed they are collaborating with authorities in other provinces to determine how widespread the practice might be.
No charges have been filed as the investigation continues.
