Thief smashes donation box at Chiang Mai temple, gets caught and confesses

Chiang Mai police have arrested a 24 year old Myanmar national, accused of stealing a donation box from Chedi Luang Worawihan temple and other thefts in the area. The suspect confessed to the crimes after being detained for a separate incident involving stolen motorcycles.

Investigating the case, Police Lieutenant Colonel Phuwanat Duangdi, the superintendent for Chiang Mai’s local police, reported progress on the theft. At around 8am on June 2, local law enforcement had been notified of the incident at the temple. Authorities conducted an inspection and discovered the temple’s donation box had been smashed in the vicinity of the Mettasuksa School. Analysis of CCTV footage, in collaboration with the temple, said that the suspect appeared to be around 25 to 30 years old.

The suspect had entered the temple grounds via the south entrance, at approximately 20.58pm on May 31, during a religious event. He lifted the donation box and walked past the south region temple chapel. After that, he climbed a wall to cross over to the Mettasuksa School side. On the same day, Police Lieutenant Colonel Anon Chuedchootragulthong, the deputy superintendent for the Mae Ping Police Station, along with his team, arrested a Myanmar national known only as Aek or A Kala.

The man was charged with stealing motorbikes from the Mae Ping Police Station jurisdiction. Upon further investigation, Aek admitted to not only stealing the motorbikes but also using them to commit various thefts, including robbing the Chedi Luang Worawihan temple donation box. Chiang Mai City police found that he was indeed the same suspect, and further legal proceedings will follow.

This is sadly not the first time that thieves have stolen temple donations in Thailand.

Last month, a former monk and two other individuals were arrested on suspicion of embezzling 180 million baht from Wat Pha Dhammakiri in Nakhon Ratchasima. The accused ex-monk, Khom Khongkeaw, previously known as Phra Ajarn Khom Abhivaro, denied the allegations.