Meditation centre to be built

Discussion with abbot today on details of facility to be erected after morgue is dismantled

After the morgue at Bangkok's Wat Phai Ngern -- where the dead foetuses were uncovered -- is dismantled soon, a meditation centre will be built on the site, PM's Office Minister Ongart Klampaiboon said yesterday.

Details of the facility's construction will be discussed with the abbot today, while a planned meritmaking for the dead babies will take place soon, he said. Cremation of all the foetuses will be discussed after police have completed autopsies on them.

Citing a Thai tradition forbidding cremation of young babies, Ongart said he would seek advice from people with the knowledge to make a final decision based on cultural aspects of the case.

After an inspection of all morgues, which uncovered a total of 2,002 foetuses last week, people have started leaving offerings and flowers at the scene in memory of the unborn children.

The first meritmaking ceremony hosted by the temple is scheduled for Saturday, and it is preparing to host activities expected to draw a crowd of thousands. The ceremony begins at 9.30 am with 40 monks chanting Buddhist prayers to mourn the unborn and deliver the merit to them.

A prank call was made to Phraya Krai police yesterday claiming 20 foetuses had been found in areas near the temple, but police and rescue workers found nothing after a thorough inspection.

Police said they had assigned a guard to watch over Suthep Chabangbon and Suchart Phoomee, the two undertakers released on bail after admitting to hiding or disposing of the foetuses without permission. They now reside in the temple.

Responding to speculation over possible media reforms to control coverage of provocative issues and sexuallyoriented content, Ongart said he thought the media was careful enough about its professional ethics. He said a government campaign to encourage morality among teenagers would soon be carried out as planned.