Burning temple body identified
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Burning temple body identified

Chawee Thamkhiri, 77, and her daughter Boonta Phetraingam, 44, with Nong Prue police station chief Pol Col Chiddecha Songhong on Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Trinai Jansrichol)
Chawee Thamkhiri, 77, and her daughter Boonta Phetraingam, 44, with Nong Prue police station chief Pol Col Chiddecha Songhong on Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Trinai Jansrichol)

CHON BURI: The man whose body was found in flames at a Pattaya temple on Thursday morning had only a short time earlier told his mother, “If there is a next life, I wish to be born as your child again".

He was Peerapong Jirakuratwong, 52.

This was confirmed by his mother, Chawee Thamkhiri, 77, and her daughter Boonta Phetraingam, 44, on Thursday afternoon.

They told Nong Prue police chief Pol Col Chiddecha Songhong that her son had been working as a passenger van driver in Trat, but returned home to stay with her about three months ago. Her house was about two kilometres from the temple. 

For the past two weeks Peerapong had complained about his illness. He had heart disease and high blood pressure and received treatment at Bang Lamung Hospital. 

On Thursday morning he told her he was going to the hospital again. He prostrated himself before her and said, “If there is a next life, I wish to be born as your child again.’’ He then went out, the grief-stricken mother said. 

After he left, she became worried and asked relatives to help her find him, but it was too late. His body was found engulfed in flames beside the crematorium stairs at the temple.

Pol Col Chiddecha said all the evidence pointed to Peerapong having taken his own life.

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