Temple incident: Monk prompts killing of dog in Chiang Mai, causes public outrage

A shocking incident at a temple in Thailand’s northern Chiang Mai province saw the temple’s leading monk command a follower to shoot and kill a dog, according to an anonymous source on Monday. This graphic scenario, caught on video, stirred public outrage for the cruel treatment of the animal and raised questions about monk conduct and regulations surrounding firearm possession. The incident happened in the Samoeng Nuea sub-district of Samoeng district.

The alarming video footage of the temple incident reveals the alleged monk, supposedly the temple’s abbot, entering a hut while saying…

“Shoot it, shoot it to death.”

Immediately afterwards, the sound of four gunshots can be heard, suspected to have been discharged by a disciple obeying the senior monk’s orders.

The complainant then shared an image of the slain dog, a bullet wound visible on its leg and mid-back before the animal finally succumbed. The complainant expressed ignorance about why the monk exhibited such dissatisfaction and ordered the follower to shoot the monk’s dog.

In light of this incident, the woman implored relevant departments including animal conservation organisations and the police to investigate both the firearm used and the animal cruelty issue. She flagged the presence of other dogs within the temple precincts who may suffer the same fate as the slain dog and urged law enforcement to save them, citing existing animal protection laws.

The accuser also revealed that previously, she had collaborated with foreigners to donate more than 100,000 baht to the implicated monk for the care of stray and injured dogs. Although the temple initially agreed, they bought cages and set up a space approximately 300 metres away from the temple for dog care, reported Sanook.

The implicated temple has only one monk as an acting abbot. Later, the abbot’s elder brother started residing with him. An instance of one dog attacking and consuming a local’s chicken created dissatisfaction with the monk’s brother, who communicated the matter to the abbot before the unfortunate event.

Moreover, she stated that she reported the abbot’s action to relevant organisations including the Animal Husbandry Department and the Northern Animal Conservation Foundation. She also intends to claim the money donated for dog care from the abbot and relocate to another location. The complainant pleaded with the relevant agencies to investigate this matter. Lastly, she mentioned that the monk accused of ordering the shooting had reportedly left for Bangkok.