12 bodies found in unmarked graves at monastery in Kamphaeng Phet

Police in Kamphaeng Phet province have exhumed 12 bodies buried, possibly without a permit, in the grounds of a monastery, which is reported to have used some of the corpses for meditation classes as part of its strange cult.

Police spent about four hours on Wednesday exhuming the remains from the grounds of the monastery, located in Salokbat sub-district, Khanu Woralaksaburi district, after they were told that seven bodies had been buried there.

12 sets of human remains were ultimately uncovered and most of them are skeletons. The abbot of the monastery, Phra Pramote, claimed that all the corpses had been voluntarily donated to the monastery by their relatives, for use in meditation classes for his followers.

Some prior attendees claim to have gained supernatural hearing and sight capabilities after attending the classes.

The abbot also claimed that he had ordered the suspension of meditation classes.

Police say that all but two of the corpses did not have death certificates, but there are letters of consent from their relatives.

Samples from the corpses were collected by forensics officers, to be sent to Lampang for DNA tests, to determine the identities.

Police said that the abbot could face a fine of up to 3,000 baht for the use of the monastery as a burial ground without a permit.