FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

‘Ailing’ monk commits suicide

‘Ailing’ monk commits suicide

A monk reportedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree behind his temple in Uttaradit province as he was suffering from chronic illnesses.

Police were informed at 7am of the alleged suicide within the compound of Wat Wang Kapee in Tambon Wang Kapee, Muang district.

Deputy inspector Pol Captain Manas Surajit, along with a medical examiner and rescue workers, reached the site. They found the body of Phra Boontham Thongnak, 58, who had been ordained for three years, hanging from a tree. 

The medical examiner estimated that the monk had been dead for at least 8-12 hours before his body was found. There was no sign of struggle. Suffocation was deemed to be the cause of his death.

Phra Prathum Pasamno, a fellow monk at the temple, had been looking for Phra Boontham to go for their morning alms round together when he found out that the monk was dead. 

Phra Boontham’s half-brother, Samran Juirid, said that Phra Boontham used to often complain about stress caused by a chronic thyroid problem and high blood pressure. 

The monk reportedly had expressed his wish to die, as he did not want to be a burden to others. The monk’s half-brother said that he had all along given the monk moral support and never thought that he would take his own life. As the family had no doubts about the cause of the death, they were allowed to take the body for religious rites.

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