Thai Days: Temple horror

Neighbours living by the Wat Phai Ngern Chotanaram in Bangkok summoned police after smelling rotting meat earlier this week.

2002 decomposing foetuses were subsequently discovered in the Wat’s morgue unceremosiusly stuffed into plastic bags. Some had melted and were just red slush with maggots.

All were victims of backstreet abortions. The undertaker claimed he had no idea what was in the bags (a likely story!) and denied receiving money for their storage (a very unlikely story!).  He went on to explain that he hadn’t had time to getting round to cremating them. A self evident story.  

This grotesque incident, understandably, has  put the issue of abortion (which is legal only in extenuating circumstances such as cases of rape) in the public and political spotlight but the government has re-iterated its stance on criminalising abortion.

A special religious ceremony will take place next week attended by women who have had abortions to appease the spirits of the unborn dead. It will be taking place at a different Wat. Posters advertising the ceremony have been removed from public display on the grounds of bad taste.

What strikes Hugh Paxton’s Blog as particularly bad taste is not the foetus spirit ceremony per se but the fact that the Wat is charging participants 300 Baht (roughly $US10). A similar ritual took place earlier this year and attracted several hundred people. Many women brought their families along.

Hugh Paxton’s Blog thinks legalising abortion would put an end to this sort of financially motivated chicanery – I refer here to both foetus dumping and ‘pay to pray’ religious ceremony rip offs.

Let me know your thoughts.

Tags: Bangkok foetus dumping, Social Issues, Thai Days