Mae Sai: In a funeral fully sponsored by the royal family of Thailand, ‘Sergeant Sam’ was cremated at the Ban Nong Khu temple in Chatuphak Piman district of Thailand’s Roi Et province. Petty Officer (1st Class) Saman Kunan, a retired SEAL of the Royal Thai Navy, had died on July 6 during the rescue operations at the Tham Luang cave complex.
Kunan had run out of air and collapsed while resupplying oxygen dumps within the cave complex. His buddy diver had tried to revive him, but could not. Kunan came to be called as ‘Sergeant Sam’ on social media, and his sacrifice attracted a flood of condolence messages from within Thailand and around the world. One of the rescued footballers’ family told AFP that the 12 families intended to make their children monks to honour Kunan’s sacrifice. In Thai Buddhism, monastic vows need not be permanent, and the belief is that the boys’ vows would provide divine merit to Kunan.
ALSO READ
- Who is Thaksin Shinawatra? Former Thailand’s controversial PM released on parole
- English skydiver falls to death from 29-storey Pattaya resort
- Suspect in Bangkok mall shooting that killed 2 used a modified mock gun
- Thai man kills 3 in his family and tries to take his own life after falling prey to online scam
- Thaksin moved from prison to a hospital less than a day after he returned to Thailand from exile
Thai funerals are elaborate and reflect the importance of the dead person. High-profile funerals involve the construction of a crematorium, essentially an elaborate structure of decorated wood around the pyre. The crematorium is dismantled after the funeral. Kunan’s crematorium reportedly cost THB 3,00,000 (more than Rs 6 lakh). Specially brought to Roi Et from Surin province, the crematorium had nine shrine towers, to conform to one of the more auspicious numbers in Thai Buddhism.
On July 14, Saturday, the day of the funeral, King Maha Vajiralongkorn announced through the Royal Gazette that Kunan had been posthumously promoted as lieutenant commander. Local residents said that this rise of seven ranks is most unusual. The king also made Kunan a Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant. The decoration is the nation’s 10th highest honour; certain Thai honours can only be held by members of the royal family.
In addition to these military honours, the king granted the privilege of the royal flame to Kunan. A Chiang Rai resident told THE WEEK that under this ritual, a royal delegation carries a funeral flame from the palace to the crematorium. At first, the delegation lights ceremonial candles at the crematorium, and then the flame is used to light the pyre. In this case, the flame was carried for more than 500km. In Roi Et, the king was represented by privy councillor General Surayud Chulanont. Also in attendance were Royal Thai Navy chief Admiral Naris Pratoomsuwan, senior naval staff and Kunan’s brother SEALs.
Artist Chalermchai Kositpipat | Bhanu Prakash Chandra
After retiring from the navy, Kunan had joined the security division of Airports of Thailand (AoT), and was currently serving at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport. AoT has announced a compensation of THB 10 lakh (over Rs 20 lakh) to Kunan’s wife.
Artists all over Thailand have been producing works in Kunan’s honour. Some of them are to be auctioned to support his family. National artist Chalermchai Kositpipat—who’s most famous work is Chiang Rai’s Wat Rong Khun (White Temple)—said that he would design and fund a statue of Kunan, to be placed near the Tham Luang cave complex. In addition to that, Kositpipat and brother artists were painting a massive canvas at Art Bridge Chiang Rai. Painted in sepia and black tones, the 3m x 13m canvas depicts all sections of rescue volunteers. The central place, of course, goes to ‘Sergeant Sam’.