108-year-old Grandpa Yen dies
Grandpa Yen, a 108- year-old man who had been living alone in his small boat for years, died here of natural causes yesterday morning.
Yen Kaewmanee was pronounced dead at the Prachao Klao Hospital at 10.40am following heart failure.
Neighbors found him unconscious on his boat in the morning and rushed him to a hospital. Doctors tried but failed to resuscitate him.
The old man became famous when a documentary programme aired his story. He had been living alone on his small boat on a river in the province for years and mostly lived on fishing.
On learning about his story, Her Majesty the Queen granted a boat for the old man to live in. Yesterday, the Queen donated Bt200,000 for his funeral arrangements.
Although Yen was a Muslim - who was supposed to be buried within 24 hours after death - his body had a special funeral rite under the Queen’s patronage at a mosque in Ban Laem district. Another special rite will be conducted again today at 9 am before burial at l0am in the mosque.
He cried for 3 months
Before becoming known following the TV programme, Yen lived on a boat for more than 10 years after his wife Erb, a Buddhist native of neigh bouring Prachuab Khiri Khan, died over a decade ago. The couple had no children but adopted two daughters, who have lived separately.
In the TV programme, Yen, then 98, said he cried for three months after Erb died. Then he decided to move from his rented house into a small boat down the Phetchaburi River.
He made a living solely from fishing. He later received personal support from the Queen and be came a public icon for those admiring His Majesty the King’s self- sufficiency economy principle.
DAILY XPRESS
Petchaburi
