Drug-fuelled gay man arrested after stabbing and setting monk on fire
Police arrested a gay man for attacking a monk with a Stanley knife and setting him on fire at a temple in the northeastern province of Buriram. The monk remains in critical condition.
Officers from Huayrat Police Station were called to assist the severely injured monk, 70 year old Suppatin Taewonrum, at Ta Sao Temple in Huayrat district, Buriram, on April 20. Suppatin was found lying on his bed with burns covering over 50% of his body. His face, arms, and torso also bore multiple lacerations.
The suspected attacker is 34 year old gay man, Phitsanu “Jay” Jiamrumtan, who reportedly fled his home following the incident. Jay allegedly assaulted the monk multiple times before accusing him of stealing 2 million baht from him.
A fellow monk at the temple, 75 year old Huana Mitrum, told Amarin TV that Jay had attacked Suppatin on several occasions while out collecting alms. He believed Jay was addicted to drugs and doubted he had access to such a large sum of money.
Jay’s father told the media that his child developed a mental illness due to drug use. He claimed to have won 2 million baht from a variety show and entrusted the money to the monk but Jay had never participated in any such programme, according to his father.
Jay later contacted a friend via Facebook to borrow 500 baht for motorcycle fuel, saying he planned to ride to Pattaya to meet his boyfriend.
The friend notified police, who eventually located and arrested Jay at a petrol station on Hak Road in Nang Rong district, Buriram. Jay admitted to having argued with the monk, though he denied it was about money.
The suspect later confessed to consuming six methamphetamine pills, commonly known as Yaba, before the attack.
The victim remains under close medical care in a hospital, with his condition still critical. Police charged Jay with attempted murder, which carries half the penalty of murder under Section 288 of the Criminal Law.
This law states that those found guilty of murder face the death penalty, life imprisonment, or imprisonment for a term of 15 to 20 years.
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