Fire Burns Through Chiang Mai Temple Hours After New Year

CHIANG MAI — A fire broke out early Monday morning at a temple in Chiang Mai’s Chai Prakan district only an hour after the cross-year prayer. No injuries were reported.

At about 2am on Monday, Mahingsawas Temple caught fire just two hours after prayers and merit-making were conducted at midnight to mark New Year’s Day.

It took firefighter three hours to put out the blaze, said Suchat Buakam, major of Chai Prakan municipality.

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The temple’s abbot Phra Kru Bandit Chaiwat said that damage to the teakwood structure, 40-year-old murals and the Buddha statue could amount to 15 million baht.

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Police on Monday morning investigating the cause of the fire.

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