Monk’s mysterious death unveils temple ‘whodunit’ in central Thailand

The mysterious death of a 57 year old monk in a temple in Ang Thong province sparked a police investigation. The body was found in a monk’s hut, lying on the floor surrounded by a foul smell, with blood and yellow liquid on the ground.

A lottery ticket for the October 1 draw was discovered in the hut, which drew the attention of local villagers keen to note down the number.

The police, along with medical staff from Wiset Chai Chan Hospital and rescue volunteers from Ang Thong, were called to Wat Muang, Hua Ta Phan subdistrict, Wiset Chai Chan district, Ang Thong province.

The deceased monk, named Samchai, had been unseen for several days, raising suspicions and concerns among the temple staff.

Upon inspection, the monk’s body was found in a decomposed state, with wounds on the back of the head. The monk is believed to have been dead for at least three to four days.

The initial investigation into the mysterious monk’s death indicated that the monk had several chronic diseases.

Inside the monk’s hut, there were no signs of struggle or search, however, a government lottery ticket numbered 643381 for the October 1 draw was found. This sparked curiosity among the locals who quickly jotted down the number for their future lottery attempts.

The temple staff informed the authorities that it was Samchai’s duty to receive offerings at the chapel today. When he did not turn up, they went to check on him at his hut.

They were met with a foul smell, leading them to inform the authorities, who upon arrival discovered that the monk had passed away.

The officials have transported the body for further examination at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Thammasat Hospital, Rangsit, to determine the exact cause of death following the legal procedures, reported KhaoSod.

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