Temple crematorium in Nakhon Phanom shuts as fuel shortage disrupts funerals
Wat Mahathat in Nakhon Phanom temporarily shuts its crematorium after fuel shortages prevent stockpiling oil needed for its pollution-control cremation furnace
A well-known temple in Nakhon Phanom province has temporarily suspended cremation services after facing a shortage of fuel needed to operate its crematorium, raising concern among local residents who rely on the temple for funeral rites.
On March 15, 2026, Wat Mahathat in Mueang district confirmed reports circulating on social media that it had temporarily stopped accepting bodies and closed its crematorium.
Phra Khru Samu Kittichai Sukhawattano, deputy abbot of Wat Mahathat and assistant ecclesiastical provincial chief of Nakhon Phanom, said the temple had already issued an official announcement through its Facebook page.
He explained that the temple could not obtain fuel for its cremation furnace because petrol stations in the area had refused to sell fuel in containers, making it impossible for the temple to store reserve supplies.
The temple’s cremation furnace is an environmentally friendly system that operates using both oil and electricity. Each cremation requires approximately 90 litres of fuel, costing about 3,000 baht per service.
Previously, the temple could keep a reserve of up to 100 litres of fuel. However, petrol stations are now limiting purchases to 500 baht per transaction and refusing to fill fuel containers or jerry cans.
As a result, the temple cannot guarantee that enough fuel will be available when a body arrives for cremation.
“If the temple does not have fuel stored in the tank, we cannot guarantee that there will be enough fuel for a cremation. Therefore, we have had to temporarily suspend cremation services and close the crematorium until the fuel situation returns to normal,” Phra Khru Samu Kittichai said.
He added that if families organising funeral ceremonies can provide the fuel themselves, the temple would still be able to conduct cremations. However, they may face the same difficulty purchasing fuel from petrol stations.
The deputy abbot also noted that Wat Mahathat plays an important social role in the province, regularly providing cremation services for unclaimed bodies, averaging at least 10 per month.
If the situation continues for an extended period, it could significantly affect local residents, especially poor families who rely on the temple’s services.
The temple has therefore called on provincial authorities and relevant agencies to help coordinate with petrol station operators, requesting special permission for the temple to purchase fuel in containers of around 90 litres per cremation.
“If the temple brings containers to buy fuel itself, petrol stations refuse to sell it. We hope relevant authorities can help explain the situation to fuel station operators so the temple can continue its duty and reduce the impact on local residents,” he said.
