The National Office of Buddhism will release a list of temples which are equipped to cremate those who die of COVID-19.
The office’s Director, Narong Song-arom, said the list is being prepared in response to the growing number of complaints about temples refusing to accept the bodies of COVID-19 victims, citing the lack of a closed-system crematoria, which are designed to contain the cremation chamber’s exhaust gases.
He explained that some temples are ill-equipped to take in COVID-19 victims, as disease-control protocols demand temples cremate the body within 24 hours of death, to keep infections out of communities.
Mr Narong said, once a death from COVID-19 has occurred, families must report it to their local public health office immediately. After that, the health office will contact the National Office of Buddhism’s provincial branch, which will then find temples that are capable of safely carrying out the cremation. (NNT)
