Thai monk with psychiatric history stabs abbot over loan warning

A Thai monk with a history of psychiatric treatment stabbed an abbot at a temple in the Isaan province of Loei yesterday, September 23, after the victim warned him not to borrow money from a temple visitor.

Somkid, a 29 year old community leader in the Nonghin district of Loei, reported the stabbing at Phu Kham Noi Khiri Khet Temple to Nong Hin Police Station at 6.30pm yesterday. The abbot, 55 year old Phra Kru Kanta, was stabbed with a 5-inch knife, which pierced his lung.

The abbot was taken to Pha Khao Hospital but, due to a lack of proper equipment, he was transferred to a larger hospital in Loei, where he remains in a serious condition.

Somkid recounted to the police that the incident unfolded while the abbot was chatting with a monk named Ting. The attacker, another monk named Maew, soon joined the discussion.

The abbot brought up the issue of inappropriate money borrowing after Maew had borrowed 2,000 baht from a female visitor to the temple. This warning infuriated Maew, who then stabbed the abbot in the chest.

After the attack, Maew reportedly returned to his accommodation within the temple as if nothing had happened. Police arrested him later that same day. Maew claimed that the abbot frequently criticised him, which led to his violent outburst.

Channel 7 reported that Maew had a history of mental health treatment and had been a monk at the temple for over 10 years. Since he was still a monk at the time of the incident, police had not yet processed the charges against him as of yesterday. Maew has since been ordered to leave the monkhood, and legal proceedings are ongoing.

In a related report, a Thai monk in the eastern province of Rayong ignored Buddhist doctrines and left the temple to murder his ex-girlfriend in August. He also killed the woman’s friend in a fit of anger after discovering that the friend encouraged his ex-girlfriend to break up with him.

In June, another Thai monk murdered a man by stabbing him with a spoon at a temple in the southern province of Chumphon. The victimreportedly asked the monk for food, which annoyed and angered the monk. They engaged in a heated argument, which eventually led to the murder.