PATTAYA, Thailand – A foreign national, displaying signs of intoxication was observed attempting to forcefully enter parked cars and insert keys into motorbike locks in a residential alley in Soi Chalerm Phrakiat 19, Central Pattaya in the morning of Oct 20. The distressed foreigner, later identified as 26-year-old Russian national Mr. Dafletov, utilized key-like objects to tamper with the locks of the parked vehicles. Despite the efforts of concerned residents to dissuade his disruptive behaviour, Mr. Dafletov remained unresponsive.
During the wait for law enforcement officers to arrive, a fortuitous encounter occurred as Buddhist monk Phra Maha Prayoon Thammakamo from Wat Chaimongkol Temple passed by. He stopped to offer prayers to the distraught Russian in an effort to calm him down. His intervention, which involved touching the lid of his alms bowl to Mr. Dafletov’s head, quickly de-escalated the situation.
Phra Maha Prayoon Thammakamo, a 7-precept Dhamma master, explained his compassionate act, expressing a desire to provide encouragement to the foreigner. He also shared a personal connection, recalling how, as a child, he had received similar acts of kindness from another monk who used to offer prayers and blessings at his home.
Subsequently, the police took Mr. Dafletov into custody upon discovering that his visa had expired on October 17. Appropriate legal proceedings would be initiated in response to the overstay situation.
