HUNDREDS of mourners are expected to pay their respects to a leading Scots-based Thai Buddhist monk at his funeral in Edinburgh on Wednesday.

Abbot Phramaha Pranom Thongphaiboon, 43, head of the Thai Buddhist community in Aberdeen, was killed in a car crash on Christmas Eve along with his colleagues Phramaha Kriangkrai Khamsamrong, 35, and Phramaha Chai Boonma, 36.

The three men were travelling to the Dhammapadipa Temple in Edinburgh when they were involved in the head-on collision on the A68 near Pathhead, Midlothian.

A service for all three will take place at Oakvale Funeral Home in the capital, where mourners will be allowed to pay their respects to the monks between 10am and 1pm. A service including traditional Buddhist chanting will take place between 1pm and 3pm.

Yongyut Suayngam, of the Thai Scottish Association, said: "The three men have offered their services to Scotland and the Thai community in the UK for the past four or five years.

"The whole of the UK is experiencing a big loss at their deaths."

He added that about 200 people were expected to attend the service.