PATTAYA, Thailand – On the morning of August 17, a Chinese man, believed to be having a mental breakdown, shocked residents by running toward a monk during his alms round and forcibly grabbing the monk’s bag. The incident, captured by CCTV at an apartment complex on Soi 4, Khopai Road in South Pattaya, occurred at 7:25 a.m.
The footage shows the monk walking during his alms round when a shirtless man in red boxer shorts approached him. After receiving food from the monk, the man followed him, grabbed his shoulder bag, and dragged him toward a pavilion. The man then emptied the bag, which contained food offerings from local residents. The distressed monk sought help from locals who confronted the man and tried to retrieve the bag. However, the man became agitated and fled amid heavy rain.
Local resident Wirat, who was in a community meeting when the monk arrived for assistance, initially mistook the man for another monk because of the bag he was carrying. Realizing the mistake, Wirat attempted to recover the bag, but the man became violent and escaped. The man was seen falling to his knees and offering a wai, a traditional Thai gesture of respect, when encountering another monk before fleeing again.
Local authorities were notified, and Pol. Lt. Akrachat Upan, Deputy Inspector of Pattaya Police, responded. Police later identified the man as 48-year-old Fang Li Jian, whose wife explained that he had left home without taking his mental health medication. Officers found Fang about 1 kilometre away, cutting trees and picking flowers. He was taken into custody and transported to Banglamung Hospital for medical treatment.
