A former chief monk accused of setting fire to his wife took his own life in a Kratie provincial hospital on Friday and was cremated, despite no family coming to claim him.

The man was found dead in a bathroom of the hospital, where he was having treatment for injuries he received after attempting to drink acid.

The hospital could not be reached for comment on how the man took his own life while under admission as a patient.

Commune police chief Ngem Sok said the body was crema­ted.

To contact the reporter on this story: Lieng Sarith at [email protected]