Monk, Novice Defrocked, Charged With Murder

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Monk, novice defrocked, charged with murder

By THE NATION ON SUNDAY

CHIANG MAI

CHIANG MAI: -- Khruba Noi Arnawelo, an abbot at Payak Donkaew Temple, and a novice, Phra Amphon Aumkul, were charged yesterday over the murder of a 17-year-old vocational schoolboy - a slaying alleged sparked by jealous rage.

Following the shooting of Amornpan Chamnikrai, 17, at the temple entrance on Wednesday, the victim's girlfriend, identified as "Kwang" (not her real name), 19, told Doi Sa Ket police Amornpan came to pick her up after work. While they were passing the temple, a white Toyota car that had tailed them sped up and parked at the temple entrance. The assailants got out of the car and shot Amornpan.

Kwang admitted she dated Khruba Noi, now 24, but kept a distance after he became a monk. She said she had started seeing Amornpan two weeks prior to the shooting but the boy had been threatened by the monk to end the relationship with "Kwang".

Police investigators initially found that Khruba Noi called another girlfriend to pick them up and ordered Phra Amphon to shoot the victim.

Both Khruba Noi and Phra Amphon have been defrocked, although they deny any wrong-doing.

The monk was well-known due to his reputation as a fortune teller, and as a follower of the late Khruba Sriwichai, as well as meditating for seven days in a cave while not eating.

-- The Nation 2010-05-09

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[tominbkk]

Hopefully karma will take care of this orange trash.