Close relatives mourn Supreme Patriarch
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Kanchanaburi - A niece of the late Supreme Patriarch said the spiritual leader of Thai Buddhists was the pride of the Kachawat family.
Supha Kachawat, 62, spoke to reporters at the family residence in Tambon Ban Nua of Kanchanaburi’s Muang district at 9.30pm Thursday, after the family had been informed by the hospital of the Supreme Patriarch’s death.
The house, the birthplace of the late Supreme Patriarch, remained quiet although a number of relatives dropped by to ask family members about his death. Local residents also came to house to pay respect to the Supreme Patriarch’s portrait on the front wall of the house.
Supha is staying at the house with her sister, Temsiri Kachawat, 53. They are the daughters of a younger brother of the Supreme Patriarch.
Supha said her eldest sister, Ratana Kachawat, 63, had gone to Chulalongkorn Hospital several days earlier to visit the Supreme Patriarch and had kept the family undated about his condition.
Supha said the relatives were sad when they were informed of the death but accepted that death was unavoidable.
Supha said the relatives would wait for the Supreme Patriarch’ s Secretariat to organise the funeral services before travelling to Bangkok to pay respect to Supreme Patriarch at the hospital before the body was moved to Bovornniwes Temple.
Supha noted that the family was proud of the Supreme Patriarch, adding that he had lived up to his vows as a Buddhist monk until his death.
She added that many local people had come to the house to offer alms to monks in honour of his 100th birthday.
