<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US><A href="http://www.nationmultimedia.com/">www.nationmultimedia.com</A>, October 19, 2006</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><SPAN lang=EN-US>Kanchanaburi</SPAN></st1:City><SPAN lang=EN-US>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Thailand</st1:country-region></SPAN></st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-US> -- Highly-revered Buddhist monk Luang Phor Uttama passed away yesterday from sepsis stemming from a chronic lung infection. He was 97.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>Hundreds of disciples of Phra Ratcha Udom Mongkhol Phahol Tharathon, abbot of Wat Wang Wiwekaram in Kanchanaburi, had gathered at an ICU unit at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Siriraj</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Hospital</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> to monitor doctors' reports on the monk's condition. They silently mourned after news of his death.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>The funeral service at the temple from today until next Thursday is under the patronage of Her Majesty the Queen, who also provided his treatment costs after he was admitted to the hospital on November 25, 2004.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>Born as Aye Maung in 1910 of Burmese descent, Luang Phor Uttama survived major cholera outbreaks when he was nine and 14, while all five brothers among a total of 12 died of the disease.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>He was ordained as a novice at 18 and entered the monkhood two years later. He fled to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Thailand</st1:place></st1:country-region> in 1949 from violent ethnic fighting. He was known and revered by local Burmese for his profound and intensive Buddhist teachings and his industrious meditation.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>The monk had been based mostly in Kanchanaburi, which borders <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Burma</st1:place></st1:country-region> and whose population is mainly Burmese and Thai people of Mon descent. He founded Wat Wang Wiwekaram in 1962 and it became a full-scale temple 24 years later.</SPAN></P>
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