Phuket monastic chief orders halt of construction after landslide

The Phuket monastic chief on Sunday ordered a temple on top of a mountain in Tambon Karon of Muang district to halt all construction after a landslide killed 13 people last month.

Phra Udom Wachiramongkol sent an urgent letter to Phrakrhu Wisut Kityaporn, abbot of Wat Kitti Sangkharam, to halt all the construction of the temple on Nak Kerd Mountain after the landslide on August 23.

After heavy rains, mud from the mountain buried several houses at the foot of the mountain, killing two Russians, two Thais and nine Myanmar nationals.

The temple was built on the mountain, which is part of a national forest reserve in Tambon Karon. The Phuket Buddhism Office had obtained permission from authorities to build the temple and its facilities in a forested area on the mountain.

The letter asked the temple to wait for officials from agencies concerned to check the construction site for safety before it would resume construction.

The temple’s construction projects include a giant Buddha image and buildings for mediation learners.