A Final Farewell

• Prize
  Silver in Editorial/General News
• Photographer
  Adryel Talamantes
• Agency / Studio
  Zuma Press
• Photo Date
  October 11, 2022

The abbot of Wat Rat Samakee, Phra Khru Kijjanuwat, lit 19 funeral pyres during a mass cremation for victims of the October 6th, 2022 Uthai Suwan massacre in Thailand. Of these pyres, 18 contained the remains of children 2-5 years old, while one held their 28 year old teacher who was 8 months pregnant. In total, the tragedy claimed the lives of 36 people, 24 of whom were children. The perpetrator, a former police officer with a history of drug problems, executed the killings using guns and knives. The spree ended with the killer taking the lives of his own family before committing suicide.

Adryel Talamantes ( b. 1986) is a photojournalist originally from the United States based in Bangkok, Thailand. The focus of his work centers on news and documentary subject matter and he has covered stories in Cambodia, the Hong Kong S.A.R. ( China), Iraq, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and the USA. His photography has been published by outlets and organizations including The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, The Guardian, Thompson Reuters, L’ Obs, Amnesty International, Der Stern, The Guardian Weekly, The Times (UK), Nikkei Asian Review, Le Monde, and Vice among others.