A ‘Phu Yai Barn’ or village headman has been arrested after allegedly killing a monk and his assistant near the entrance to Khao Phela monastery in Tha Chana district, Surat Thani Province. The Chief of Tha Chana district reported that around 2 am this morning he was accompanied by the Thana Chan police chief and other police officers to the crime scene.
When they arrived they found a pickup truck loaded with torches, fuel and coconut husks parked on the road. A man identified later as 48 year old Churat Khongkhlai was lying dead on the back of the vehicle with a gunshot wound to his neck.
10 metres away was the dead body of a monk found on the ground, later identified as 49 year old Phra Chonlathan Thavaro Kanchanabut, a monk of the Khao Phela monastery. He had two gunshot wounds, one in the back of his head and the other in his chest.
A .32 handgun was found near his body.
55 year old Manop Kopin, the headman of a village in tambon Samor Thong, was waiting for authorities and surrendered himself.
Assistant district chief Panyaporn Wattanapramote said they received a report from the chief of tambon Samor Thong, Thasaphon Thipsak, that two people had been previously arrested at 12.30am for leaving their homes during curfew hours. He led a team to the area and found Mr Manop and his team had already detained Churat and Phra Chonlathan. They had also seized a truck and equipment used for catching bees.
Panyaporn says “while he was reporting the curfew violation to the district chief over the phone, he heard gunshots. He went to check and found the village head had shot dead the monk and the layman.”
Mr Manop told police that he saw the monk pulling out a pistol and Mr Churat grabbing a knife. He said he was frightened and thought they would attack him, so he fired three shots at them.
Police have detained the village headman as the investigation continues.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post | Thai Rath
