A Thai university has developed a technique to use rice husks and solar cell waste to create a component for lithium-ion batteries, which is being heralded as having the potential to help revolutionise the energy and environmental industries in the kingdom.

Around 64,000 mourners paid their respects on Tuesday to the late northeastern monk Luang Phor Koon Parisuttho, whose body was among the 647 "Khru Yai" cadavers placed for Abhidhamma prayer at Khon Kaen University's (KKU) Golden Jubilee Convention Hall since Monday before the royally sponsored cremation rites are held on January 29.