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Local monks
involved in punch-up
Police received a report form Banglamung Hospital
that a monk from Thuan Thong Temple had been attacked, sustaining skull
injuries and a broken jaw. The monk was in critical condition at the
hospital.
Police hurried to the hospital and found monk Phra Phikksu Chin
Boonsomtob being treated by doctors in the intensive care unit. Police
learned that the monk had been attacked at his temple.
Upon arrival at the temple, officers questioned the Abbott, Phra Phikksu
Sawai Thabthieng, and discovered that the injured monk had been beaten
by another monk, Phra Phikksu Monchai Thamprayoch, who at that time was
resting in his cell.
Police took Phra Monchai to the Banglamung police station for further
questioning.
Upon interrogation, police learned that Phra Chin, who is very old, had
just left the chapel upon completing his morning prayers. He saw Phra
Monchai leaning against the door of the chapel. (This is considered bad
behaviour for Buddhist monks. They are not supposed to lean on
anything.) The older monk reprimanded the younger cleric for his
behaviour. This led to an argument(younger clerics are not allowed to
argue with senior monks). The older monk slapped the younger monk’s face
(according to Buddhist law, monks may not injure any living being. To
slap another monk is a very bad breach of Canon Law). The younger monk
fell to the ground, then got up and began to beat the older monk. There
was a major fight which continued until the Abbott of the temple, who is
81 years old, had to jump into the middle and stop it.
Other monks in the temple, seeing that the older monk had been seriously
injured, rushed him to the hospital, following the abbot’s orders.
Monchai was taken to the temple and defrocked and then taken back to the
police station and charged with assault and battery and causing serious
bodily harm to another. He was then let out on bail of 200,000 baht.
The police shook their heads in disbelief saying that this type of
hooligan behaviour from the clergy was a detriment to the Buddhist
Institution.
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