Monk disrobed for theft of heads from four corpses

– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community

PHUKET: A Buddhist monk in Udon Thani province was disrobed in order to face criminal charges, along with two layman accomplices, for allegedly stealing and chopping off the heads of four corpses.

Two of the corpses were from Ban None Sa cemetery in Prachak Sinlapakhom district and other two from Ban Chiang Haew cemetery in Kumphawapi district.

Former monk Oon Oonreun, 65, and his alleged accomplices Khunthong Ketnu, 32, and Worapong Senapol, 20, now face charges of stealing at night-time and removing corpses or body parts without a sound reason, said Kumphawapi superintendent Pol Col Santhan Intharajak yesterday.

It was reported that they stole the corpses and chopped off the heads to get winning lottery numbers and make “Pan Neng” talismans, before dumping the skulls in a lake. Police had divers trying to locate the disposed skulls at the lake yesterday.

— Phuket Gazette Editors