Disciples scattered flower petals while bringing the ashes of former Monk Yantahra back to his hometown at the Sunyata Amaro Museum, Ban Ton Had, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, preparing to enshrine the ashes in a lotus container for disciples to pay respects and worship.
A reporter reported that after Phra Phrom Wachiramonkol, abbot of Ratchathiwas Ratchaworawihan Temple (Bangkok), presided over the cremation ceremony to dissolve the physical remains of former Monk Yantahra Amaro Bhikkhu (Winai Laongsuwan), thousands of monks, novices, mae chi (female renunciants), disciples—both Thai and foreign Buddhist devotees who respected Monk Yantahra Amaro Bhikkhu—attended the ceremony on 9 March 2026.
After the dissolution ceremony, the Sunyata Ram Forest Monastery preserved the ashes of former Monk Yantahra Amaro Bhikkhu, dividing them into four parts: the first part, the majority of the ashes, is kept at Sunyata Ram Monastery awaiting enshrinement in a planned pagoda; the second part was given to disciples in Vietnam; the third part to fellow monks in Pak Phanang District, Nakhon Si Thammarat; and the fourth part kept at Sunyata Ram Monastery in Escondido, California, USA, as previously reported.
The latest update reports that a group of disciples brought the ashes of former Monk Yantahra back to his hometown, the Ton Had community in Pak Phanang Municipality, Pak Phanang District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. During the procession into the Sunyata Amaro Museum at Ban Ton Had, his birthplace, disciples scattered jasmine and marigold flowers along the way.
Ms. Pannee Laongsuwan, the sister of former Monk Yantahra, told reporters that after bringing the ashes to conduct monastic rites at the Sunyata Amaro Museum in Ban Ton Had, his hometown in Pak Phanang District, the hosts held the ceremony on 12 March 2026. Monks, mae chi, and disciples participated in the rites. After completing the ceremony, on 25 April 2026, the ashes will be enshrined in a lotus container, and the venue will be prepared for disciples and Buddhist devotees to come and pay homage at the museum in his hometown.
