THAILAND: Family and friends of the late Chin Peng, the former leader of the Communist Party of Malaya attend his cremation in a Bangkok temple

Record ID: 863147

  • Title: THAILAND: Family and friends of the late Chin Peng, the former leader of the Communist Party of Malaya attend his cremation in a Bangkok temple
  • Date: 23rd September 2013
  • Summary: BANGKOK, THAILAND (SEPTEMBER 23, 2013) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF CREMATORIUM VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PUSHING COFFIN OF CHIN PENG, FORMER LEADER OF COMMUNIST PARTY OF MALAYA
  • Embargoed: 8th October 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Thailand
  • City:
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAC1D9PK73GZVOZI18O7DWJ7I19
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  • Story Text: Family and friends of the late Chin Peng, the former leader of the communist party of Malaya attended his cremation on Monday (September 23) in Bangkok.
    Chin Peng also known as Ong Boon Hua died, at the age of 88, on September 16, from old age.
    The traditional Thai funeral was held in Wat That Thong, a temple in Bangkok.
    Family and friends gathered to offer their respects, laying artificial flowers as a symbol to bid farewell to the dead.
    Chin Peng led thousands of communist fighters against the British's colonial rule in the 1950s and fought to establish a communist state in Malaya, which later became Malaysia.
    The communist guerilla leader had been living in exile in China and Thailand since he fled the country in 1960.
    In 1989, he signed the peace treaty with Malaysia but is still banned from returning home.
    Malaysian media has reported that the government has barred the return of his ashes, because it would upset many Malaysians who lost loved ones during the communist insurgency.
    Despite the ban from the Malaysian government, his friend and family insisted that his last wish to go back home be fulfilled.

    "I hope the people of Malaysia will help us bring him back by calling the Malaysian government to allow him back home" said Zhou Tong, a friend of Chin Peng.
    Chin Peng had been living in exile for 53 years.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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