(6 March) A monk has been reportedly stabbed dead in Kanchanaburi province by a man who claimed he was acting in self-defence against the monk's sexual advance.
The incident took place in a motel room in Nong Bua subdistrict of the province's Mueang district on Wednesday morning.
At the scene, the police found the body of a monk in a pool of blood, with a knife clenched in his right hand. Splatters of blood were also found around the room, an evidence that a fight broke out earlier.
The monk was identified as Phra Ponsak Thongchimplee, 45, a native of Bangkok and a member of a temple in Nakhon Ratchasima province. The police said they found 9 stabbing wounds on the monk's body.
Motel staff said the monk was seen checking in at the motel room with a man, who later emerged with blood and wounds on his body, and claimed he stabbed the monk dead. The police promptly visited the hospital where the man was being treated.
At the hospital, Mr. Prinya Kaewsuk told the officers that he worked as a vendor in Nakhon Ratchasima province and has been a loyal follower of the monk. According to Mr. Prinya, Phra Ponsak hired him to be his driver on a trip to ask for donations in Pathum Thani province on 4 March.
After his donations letter were all handed out, Mr. Prinya said, Phra Ponsak instructed him to drive to Kanchanaburi province as he wished to purchase some gemstones before returning to his temple.
Mr. Prinya claimed they arrived in the province by midnight, so they rented a motel room and he quickly fell asleep on his bed due to exhaustion.
However, the man said, he was later woken by the monk who sat – naked – on his body and asked him for a sexual intercourse. When Mr. Prinya said no, the monk allegedly took out a knife and threatened to kill him if he still refused, causing him to reach for the knife and struggled with the monk. Mr. Prinya said he was cut in left wrist in the process.
The suspect claimed he eventually took the knife and stabbed the monk repeatedly out of his rage. He said he informed the motel staff afterwards and went to hospital to treat his wound.
Mr. Prinya insisted to the police that he did not intend to kill Phra Ponsak, as he was driven by rage after the monk tried to coerce him into sexual intercourse.
The police said they are skeptical of Mr. Prinya's testimony, citing contradicting evidences found in the scene. Investigation is ongoing.
