It became a heartbreaking issue for society when seeing the ashes of Neng Mengjai still remaining at the temple after being cremated on 25 Mar. Regarding this matter, Ice, Neng Mengjai's wife, clarified in her Facebook post that she did not abandon Neng Mengjai's ashes.She intended to keepthe ashes for the 100-day merit-making ceremony, believing the temple would store them properly. She never knew the temple would keep Neng’s ashes in the way reported in the news.
Ice and her family therefore intended to keep Neng’s ashes for the 100-day merit-making event first, then scatter the ashes at the river. The temple informed them it would hold the ashes and advised them to choose an auspicious time to hold the merit-making ceremony.The blessing ceremony,after which the ashes would be brought home tomake meritfor the 100-day memorial later.
Ice believed the temple would correctly and properly care for Neng’s ashes during this time. She firmly stated she did not abandon the ashes and was never aware that the temple’s storage of Neng’s ashes would be as described in the news, which led to strong public discontent, criticism, and harsh verbal attacks.
