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Tens of thousands of friends and fans are expected to join in a funeral procession on Sunday for slain political analyst Kem Ley, whose body will be returned to his hometown in Takeo province, organizers said Friday.

Tim Malay, head of the Cambodian Youth Network, said Kem Ley’s body would be carried out of Phnom Penh’s Wat Chas pa­go­da at 7 a.m.

Mourners will be in­vit­­ed to march or drive alongside the funeral convoy as it moves down Monivong Boulevard, Rus­sian Boulevard and then National Road 3 to Takeo, he said.

Kem Ley’s body will be taken to its resting place in the late political analyst’s hometown next Sunday, July 24, after calls from the public yesterday asking that the date be extended a full week from the planned procession.

Theng Savoeun, of the Coalition of Cambodian Farmer Community (CCFC) and a member of Mr. Ley’s funeral organization committee, told Khmer Times yesterday that Mr. Ley’s body will be moved to his Leay Bo commune birthplace in Takeo province’s Tram Kak district at a later date than initially planned in response to public requests for more mourning time in Phnom Penh, where Mr. Ley’s body has been held at Wat Chas since his murder more than a week ago.

Mr. Savoeun estimates that between 5,000 and 8,000 people have come to Wat Chas daily to pay their respects to Mr. Ley.

“We decided to delay for one more week, giving time for the public to mourn Mr. Kem Ley. So on Sunday, July 24, Mr. Kem Ley’s body procession ceremony will be held as his body travels from Phnom Penh to his hometown in Leay Bo commune, Tram Kak district, Takeo province,” Mr. Savoeun said.