Pattaya: Rescue workers invited monks to perform a merit-making ceremony at the graves of the five victims, revealing that the search mission was extremely stressful and relied on faith for guidance.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Sutthipong Boonmachai, head of the Special Operations Unit of the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation in Pattaya, invited Phra Kru Palat Theerayut Chotiko, or "Luang Phi Ex," the abbot of Wat Khao Boonmeedararam, along with four other monks, to perform a merit-making ceremony at the burial site where the five victims were found. The victims included a Thai family of three and two Russian tourists.
Mr. Sutthipong revealed that after the search for the missing persons was completed, many officers recounted inexplicable events that occurred during the operation. He personally believes that faith and morale played a part in the successful search for the bodies of the deceased. However, he emphasized that this is a personal belief and is not related to the facts or the course of the legal proceedings.
The head of the special operations unit also praised the police officers, local administrators, village headmen, volunteers, villagers, and rescue workers from all units for their patience in searching for the missing person, even though they had to search through dense forest for many days continuously. This was because the suspect provided conflicting information about the burial site, requiring verification of multiple locations before the true burial site was found.
During the excavation of the burial site, officials discovered the bodies of three victims: a father, mother, and child, stacked on top of each other inside the grave. The mother was at the bottom, the father in the middle, and the child on top. It appears that the bodies were lowered into a grave with a narrow opening, but the interior had been widened significantly.
Mr. Sutthipong admitted that during the operation, all officers felt immense pressure because the suspect only provided landmark information, such as coconut trees or canal lines. After several months, the terrain had changed so much that these landmarks could hardly be used as reference points, making the search extremely difficult.
Furthermore, during the search, he prayed only for the operation to go smoothly and for the deceased's remains to be found quickly if they were in the area, so that the officials could work more easily. Eventually, bone fragments and the deceased's remains were found as planned.
Following the completion of their mission, the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation in Pattaya City held a merit-making ceremony for the five deceased individuals to bring good fortune to the staff and to dedicate merit to the deceased according to religious beliefs.
Sutthipong confirmed that the ceremony was conducted solely according to the faith of the staff and the foundation, and had no connection to the police investigation, which is still proceeding based on evidence and forensic science.