On the grounds of a Buddhist temple, dozens of white plastic bags lay in carefully arranged rows. Each sack was knotted at the top and contained the remains of a fetus. Thai authorities found about 2,000 remains in the temple's mortuary, where they had been hidden for a year apparently to conceal illegal abortions.
A strong stench had drawn police to the temple in Bangkok's old city Tuesday, and authorities searching the mortuary where bodies awaiting cremation are normally kept initially found more than 300 fetuses. They returned Friday to find more than five times that number, according to police Lt Col Kanathud Musiganont.