Five Buddhist worshippers were killed on November 2, 1998, when three ceremonial joss sticks collapsed at the Phra Pathom Jedi Temple 36 miles (58km) northwest of Bangkok.

The 79-88ft (24-27m) joss sticks, said to be the largest ever built in Thailand, are built in April 1998 to commemorate the 84th anniversary of the construction of a Buddha image at the temple. Police blamed inadequate foundations, but the joss sticks could have collapsed under their own weight as they had soaked up much heavy overnight rain.