Local headman says he killed the abbot of the local monastery and environmentalist in self-defence after he was arrested for violating the 10 pm to 4 am curfew. It appears that the abbot was held for some time by the headman and his entourage but shooting broke out after the 55-year old village leader, Manot Kopin, claimed the monk produced a gun and his assistant, a knife. The assistant district chief of Tha Chana in Surat Thani, Panyaporn Wattanapramote, heard the gunshots as he was reporting the arrests to his immediate superior.
A well-known monk and abbot was gunned down last night in Surat Thani province over an hour after he and his assistant were arrested by a local village headman for violating the nighttime curfew. The abbot’s assistant was also found dead at the scene when police in the Tha Chana district arrived with the district chief in the early hours of the morning.
A local village headman in Surat Thani province shot dead an award-winning monk and his assistant in the early hours of Tuesday after both had been apprehended by local authorities for breaking the 10 pm to 4 am curfew which came into effect last week to fight off the coronavirus epidemic.
55-year-old Manop Kopin is the headman of Moo 9 village in tambon Samor Thong in the Tha Chana district of the province. He was being questioned by police on Tuesday following the slayings.
Monk was the 49-year-old abbot of a local monastery and was arrested for breaking the curfew
The monk was 49 year old Phra Chonlathan Thavaro Kanchanabut who was the abbot of Khao Phela monastery. The other man gunned down was the monk’s helper, 48-year-old Churat Khongkhlai.
The incident was reported to have occurred at 2 am, sometime after both were arrested and held for breaking the curfew.
Assistant chief of Tha Chana district first informed of the arrests at 12.30 am by tambon boss
The Assistant chief of Tha Chana district told police that he had received a call from Thasaphon Thipsak who is the chief of tambon Samor Thong to say that two people have been arrested for violating the nighttime curfew. This was at 12.30 am.
District chief called to the scene of the killings after 2 am, found pickup with two bodies
The District Chief, Wisut Intharakamnoen, was later called to the scene of the killings after being informed of the death of the pair.
He observed a pickup truck with a specially adapted flat surface which carried torches, fuel and coconut coir, a peat-like substance made from the fibrous outer coating of coconuts used for planting.
The body of the 48-year old Mr Churat was lying face-up on the truck. He had suffered a gunshot to the neck area.
10 metres from the truck, the body of Phra Chonlathan was found. He had been shot in the back of the head and the rib cage.
Assistant Chief initially found the monk and his helper in the custody of the local village headman
The Assistant District Chief, Panyaporn Wattanapramote, had arrived earlier after being informed of the arrest of the monk and his assistant.
At the scene, he found the local head man Mr Manop and his entourage guarding the arrested pair from the monastery.
He said it was his understanding that the truck and paraphernalia was being used to capture bees.
Heard shots when he went to make a phone call to his boss to brief him on the curfew arrests
He went to make a phone call to report on the situation to Mr Wisut, the district chief.
While on the phone, he heard several gunshots.
After rushing back, he discovered that the village headman had shot the monk and his assistant. Both were dead.
Tha Chana police chief Police Colonel Thitiwat Suthitivanich later arrived on the scene with the district chief. The village head man was detained for questioning in connection with the killings.
Headman 55-year-old Mr Manop said he acted in self-defence after the monk and his friend attacked
When questioned by police officers, Mr Manop testified that he saw the monk produce a handgun and at the same time, Mr Churat reached for a knife.
He immediately was put in fear for his life and reacted by shooting the pair
Monk had become involved in local controversy
Local sources in the area suggested that despite the monk being the subject of numerous personal awards, he had become embroiled in some local controversy with other residents.
It is not clear what the source of the conflict was.
Phra Chonlathan was the recipient of a Hemmarat award in 2016 as a good role model and for his work in forest conservation and the protection of the environment.
In 2018, he received a similar award for his activities.
Further reading:
Crazed man kills two in night of bloody murder in Nakhon Ratchasima on Sunday including ex-wife
Senior police officer murdered and sexually mutilated by jealous husband in Kalasin province
