The holy monk Phra Malai visiting Hell

The Thai monk Phra Malai is a cosmic traveler, and arguably the most famous religious figure in Thailand (after the Buddha himself). Like his ancient Indian predecessor Maudgalyayana, Phra Malai’s travels only seem exploratory; really, they have a didactic function. That is, his visions of the consequences of negative actions motivate miscreants to cleave to the moral path, for perdition lies in wait for those who reject the Buddhist ethical standards prominent in Phra Malai’s tradition.

The strange figures who populate hell appear on the base of statues, as do skeletal sinners appealing to Phra Malai to be saved from hell and reborn in heaven. Still more sinners simply stew in vats. The fate of the corpse on the upper surface of the base seems rather overdrawn, as it is being attacked by a huge worm.