Chiang Mai:Villagers are heartbroken as the spire of Wat Mai Nong Hoi temple in Chiang Mai collapsed, just after its grand opening ceremony earlier this year. The district chief suspects the cause was erratic weather and heavy rain. Initial findings indicate that over 80% of the spire has collapsed.
According to Thai News Agency, the spire of the large, approximately 30-meter-tall, gleaming golden pagoda inside Wat Mai Nong Hoi, Moo 6, Santi Suk Subdistrict, Doi Lo District, Chiang Mai Province, began to tilt before its structure cracked and the spire collapsed in an instant. This caused panic among the villagers, who flocked to see the collapsed pagoda throughout the day.
An aerial view shows the collapsed spire of the large pagoda, with fragments of bricks and mortar scattered around its base. Our news team visited the temple and found the remnants of the pagoda's spire strewn across the ground, a heartbreaking sight for the local community, monks, novices, and devout individuals who had contributed their time, effort, and resources to build this magnificent, approximately 30-meter-tall, gleaming golden pagoda.
Phra Chaiwat, a monk at the temple, reported that in the late morning while performing his duties at the temple, he heard a loud bang coming from the direction of the stupa. People in the temple shouted, "The stupa has collapsed!" He rushed to see and found the top of the stupa had already fallen down. Many villagers who helped build it were still heartbroken and too ashamed to come and see it. Many were so saddened that they cried, regretting the collapse of this sacred stupa. The stupa had only been completed at the end of last year, and a celebratory ceremony was held in February.
Buddhist devotees who contributed to the construction of this stupa expressed their sadness and regret that their hard work, dedication, and faith had been wasted. They were shocked to see images of the collapsed stupa online and immediately traveled to the temple to offer support to the monks, novices, and especially the abbot. They stated that the villagers, including themselves, will work together to repair and rebuild the stupa to its former beauty as soon as possible.
The Doi Lo district chief, along with relevant agencies, rushed to the scene to investigate the incident and cordoned off the area for safety. Initial inspections revealed that over 80% of the pagoda had collapsed. It is suspected that heavy rainfall and lightning yesterday may have caused the collapse. Further detailed inspection by experts is required before a plan for repairs to restore the pagoda to its original beauty can be determined.