Disturbed Buddhist monk in Thailand adopts, kills and burns at least 18 cats

A disturbed Buddhist monk in Thailand confessed to adopting cats via Facebook and beating them to death. Yesterday, the burned carcasses of 18 cats were dug up from behind his living quarters at a temple in Chachoengsao province.

Watchdog Thailand Foundation (WDT), an animal rights charity, reported the horrific discovery of animal cruelty at the hands of an ordained Buddhist monk yesterday.

A monk from Wat Traisoranakhom, 23 year old Phra Phonnai Ketkaew – aka Phra Kim – contacted someone called Panipa Kongrod via Facebook and requested to adopt four of her cats who were looking for a new home.

Panipa took the cats to the temple and was shocked when monks warned her not to leave her pets with the deceitful Phra Kim. They told her that he did not love animals and they had seen him beat at least five cats to death and set them on fire.

The monks said that Phra Kim continually adopted cats since ordaining as a monk two years ago but they had all disappeared. They estimated that he had adopted 80 cats in total, reports ThaiRath.

Officials from Watchdog Thailand travelled to the temple yesterday and rescued two cats, Phra Kim’s next victims, from his living quarters. Then, they found the burned carcasses of 18 cats buried in the soil behind his quarters, reports KhaoSod.

Police took Phra Kim to Bang Pakong Police Station for interrogation upon hearing the shocking discovery. Police inspected his quarters to find stains of blood on the wooden floor, bloody orange robes, cat cages, cat beds, and cat food. Police charged him with cruelty to animals.

Monks at the temple disturbingly said that Phra Kim killed cats by wrapping them in monks’ orange robes, or “angsa,” and repeatedly hitting them against the ground until they stopped moving.

Phra Kim sometimes used a tattoo needle to pierce the skin of a cat that he had beaten to death, the monks added. Monks said that Phra Kim would show the other monks what he had done before burning the carcass in a fire behind his quarters.

The abbot of the temple, 64 year old Phra Kru Pitaktham Sophon, said that he was unaware of Phra Kim’s cruel behaviour toward animals. Phra Kim had been ordained as a monk for two years, said the abbot. The abbot said it was extremely inappropriate for Phra Kim to wear the saffron robes of a monk.