CommentsNewsJane Lavender Associate Editor and Scott Feng04:00, 09 Mar 2026Updated 08:41, 09 Mar 2026Luang Phor Pian before his death(Image: AsiaWire / Facebook)
Extraordinary images reveal a 'smiling' dead Buddhist monk being exhumed by his devoted followers two months after his passing.
Highly respected monk Luang Phor Pian passed away on November 16, 2017 in Bangkok, Thailand, aged 92.
Born in Cambodia, Pian dedicated most of his life as a renowned spiritual leader and Buddhist teacher in Lopburi, central Thailand.
Following his death, his body was taken back to the temple where he had served, for burial.
His followers retrieved his body from the coffin as part of a customary Buddhist ritual.
However, they were astonished to find the remains had hardly decomposed, with what appeared to be a 'smile' on his face.
Luang Phor Pian still smiling as his body is exhumed two months after his death(Image: AsiaWire / Facebook)
Remarkably, Pian seemed to be smiling as his masked followers carried him through the assembled crowd.
Onlookers captured photographs of the remarkable scene and posted the images on social media.
According to reports, the monks had exhumed the monk's body to dress him in fresh, clean robes.
His remains appeared in a condition comparable to someone who had been deceased for no longer than 36 hours, local media stated.
Pian's serene appearance has been interpreted as evidence that the monk has genuinely attained nirvana.
The monk's followers will maintain their prayers for him until a final farewell ceremony takes place on the 100th day following his death.
