Topless Monk Found Dead In Phuket Mercedes Benz

[george]

Topless monk found dead in Phuket Mercedes Benz

Officers inspect Chom's car, in which his body sat decomposing

for about four days before being noticed. Photo: PRD

PHUKET: -- Police are investigating whether winning the lottery is behind the death of an affluent and well-known monk whose half-robed corpse was found in the back seat of his Mercedes-Benz on Saturday.

Rumors are circulating through the Thai media that the 62-year-old Buddhist monk, named in reports only as “Chom”, recently won the lottery, stirring among followers suspicions of foul play.

Officers responding to a report arrived at the scene, a locked vehicle parked in front of empty monks’ quarters at Wat Putthikaram in Haad Yai, to discover Chom’s body in a state of decomposition.

The stench on opening Chom’s Benz, bearing Phuket license plates, was overpowering. Police believe Chom died four days earlier.

Chom’s body – topless, clad only in lower robes – was found lying face up in the back seat.

A cover was spread over the car, which may explain why the body was not discovered earlier.

In the car, police found 2,060 baht and 20 Malaysian ringgit in cash, along with several amulets.

Initial examination by police found no wounds or signs of struggle, and officers have yet to determine the cause of death.

Monks at the temple reported last seeing Chom about midday several days earlier.

They said they saw the late monk lift the car cover and enter the vehicle, presumably to take a nap, as he was known to often do.

However, they called police after noticing the foul stench emanating from the car and then finding the body inside.

The monks believe Chom died of asphyxiation because he suffered from acute asthma, police said.

However, Chom’s relatives and followers have voiced doubts that this underlying condition caused his death.

His family told police that he had not been in contact since May 10.

After news of Chom’s death became public, rumors quickly began to circulate that the well-known monk – who had a considerable following in both Thailand and Malaysia – had recently won the equivalent of 5 million baht in a Malaysian lottery.

“We are now waiting for the autopsy report from Prince of Songkla University to settle whether the monk was murdered or died from his [asthma] condition,” said Lt Col Ekkarat Suansan of Haad Yai Police.

The police have yet to confirm whether or not Chom had won any money in a lottery just before his death, Col Ekkarat said.

“[so far] It is all just rumors that he won the lottery,” he said.

Police are continuing their investigation, he added.

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-05-17

[dangman]

so quick to jump on rumour and speculation.

he was an old man.. an old monk.. he probably died of natural causes.. hopefully peacefully in his sleep.

[pete600]

so quick to jump on rumour and speculation.

he was an old man.. an old monk.. he probably died of natural causes.. hopefully peacefully in his sleep.

So how did he put a cover over the car when he was in it

A cover was spread over the car, which may explain why the body was not discovered earlier.

[Buchholz]

so quick to jump on rumour and speculation.

he was an old man.. an old monk.. he probably died of natural causes.. hopefully peacefully in his sleep.

So how did he put a cover over the car when he was in it

A cover was spread over the car, which may explain why the body was not discovered earlier.

Very true.

The covering of the car is a rather overt attempt at concealing the death and impossible to have been done by the monk himself.

[SteeleJoe]

Monks at the temple reported last seeing Chom about midday several days earlier.

They said they saw the late monk lift the car cover and enter the vehicle, presumably to take a nap, as he was known to often do.

True or not, who knows, but that would answer your question.

And I doubt it's impossible.

[Thaddeus]

A monk with a Merc who plays the lottery, that speaks volumes about the practice of Buddhism here.

RIP

[SteveManson]

A <i><b>topless</b></i> monk!  Scandalous!!<br><br>And I agree; whatever happened to <span>asceticism among monks?</span>

[Buchholz]

Monks at the temple reported last seeing Chom about midday several days earlier.

They said they saw the late monk lift the car cover and enter the vehicle, presumably to take a nap, as he was known to often do.

True or not, who knows, but that would answer your question.

And I doubt it's impossible.

One step at a time.

When the police arrived, they found the car covered.

When they uncovered the car, they found the dead monk inside.

How did the monk, from inside a car, cover the car?

I say that's pretty near impossible to do and if it can be done, I'd like to hear how.

.

Edited May 18, 2011 by Buchholz

[Atmos]

^ - simple - having left things inside my own covered car - lift the cover, open the door, get inside and recover whatever i'm after.

If I then closed the door the cover draped over it would naturally drop back into place.

Not difficult to do.

[LaoPo]

Monks at the temple reported last seeing Chom about midday several days earlier.

They said they saw the late monk lift the car cover and enter the vehicle, presumably to take a nap, as he was known to often do.

True or not, who knows, but that would answer your question.

And I doubt it's impossible.

One step at a time.

When the police arrived, they found the car covered.

When they uncovered the car, they found the dead monk inside.

How did the monk, from inside a car, cover the car?

I say that's pretty near impossible to do and if it can be done, I'd like to hear how.

.

Easy; lift the cover partly and open the back-door (also partly) and slip into the car after which the cover will fall down to it's original shape.

Can be done easily in a cover type like this:

Remember, the Monk was probably a small man.

LaoPo

[bunta71]

Monks at the temple reported last seeing Chom about midday several days earlier.

They said they saw the late monk lift the car cover and enter the vehicle, presumably to take a nap, as he was known to often do.

True or not, who knows, but that would answer your question.

And I doubt it's impossible.

One step at a time.

When the police arrived, they found the car covered.

When they uncovered the car, they found the dead monk inside.

How did the monk, from inside a car, cover the car?

I say that's pretty near impossible to do and if it can be done, I'd like to hear how.

.

My God man, can you not read and understand what you have quoted in your own post?? Read each word. Amazing post here in Thailand.

[Buchholz]

That type of car cover is the type I have (a tight garter that goes around the bottom). It's probably the most common type here. It does not simply fall down underneath the carriage of the car in the situation you describe. It has to be pulled down as the garter is too tight to simply "fall down."

Without a photo of the car with the cover still on, we won't know how completely the car was covered. If a portion of it was only half way down the side of the car, then I could see him doing it as you purport, but if it is completely skirted around the bottom of the car (as is normally done when a car is covered), it's not possible for him to have down that from inside the car.

Lastly, there's nothing to indicate that said monk was small. I've met a large number of monks who were exceptionally large (particularly, girth wise).

[Buchholz]

My God man, can you not read and understand what you have quoted in your own post?? Read each word. Amazing post here in Thailand.

Calm down.

Yes, the monk would routinely take the cover off and take a nap...

HOWEVER, when the police arrived to the complaint of the odor...

A cover was spread over the car, which may explain why the body was not discovered earlier.

[seriouseats]

This is an obvious suicide by sunshine heat. Case closed. let's get back to farang murder investigations

[kutjebu]

This is an obvious suicide by sunshine heat. Case closed. let's get back to farang murder investigations

These farang cases are closed already a long time ago.

[SteeleJoe]

One step at a time.

When the police arrived, they found the car covered.

When they uncovered the car, they found the dead monk inside.

How did the monk, from inside a car, cover the car?

I can't imagine that he did. The article doesn't claim he did and nor, certainly, did I.

What it does say, and you repeat at one point, is: "(a) cover was spread over the car". In what way does that suggest it was snug around the undercarriage?

You don't even know if it was indeed that type of car cover. Nor is there anything suggesting it was anything other than something that it was just "spread over the car".

[bunta71]

My God man, can you not read and understand what you have quoted in your own post?? Read each word. Amazing post here in Thailand.

Calm down.

Yes, the monk would routinely take the cover off and take a nap...

HOWEVER, when the police arrived to the complaint of the odor...

A cover was spread over the car, which may explain why the body was not discovered earlier.

"However, they called police after noticing the foul stench emanating from the car and then finding the body inside."

The way I read this is that the monks found the body and then called police.