Man admits to doping monks and patients
Khwanhathai Malakan,
Anan Wijitpracha
The Nation

Suspect stole valuables after drugging victims; duo caught for robbing tourist

TRAT: -- A man has confessed to drugging several monks and patients in order to steal their valuables, a police source said yesterday.

The suspect, Somkiat Phet-ngarm, 43, was reportedly nabbed in Trat yesterday.

"He confessed during the interrogation," the source said.

This suspect is believed to have been at the centre of several much-publicised drugging cases at Bangkok's Ramathi-bodi Hospital. Police used the hospital's CCTV system to find clues.

His arrest will be announced in a press conference today.

The same police source said Somkiat also drugged monks because they were easy targets.

"Monks normally accept and eat any food or drink that is offered to them. They never suspect that the offerings can be laced with harmful substances," the source said.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the police officer said that Somkiat had drugged several monks and later followed one of them to Ramathibodi Hospital, where he targeted several patients.

According to police investigation, the suspect allegedly used the colourless and odourless sedative Xylazine - generally used to sedate animals - on his victims. There is a high risk of overdose and death if the drug is wrongly administered to humans.

"From background checks, we found that he was also involved in robberies in many other areas," the source said.

Separately, the Provincial Police Region 1 announced that they have arrested a woman and her son for allegedly drugging a Japanese engineer.

The suspects are Nattanan Kaenmai, 50, and Krit Limros-anan, 27.

Police said the 29-year-old victim was found unconscious with all his valuables gone at a bus stop in Pathum Thani on August 18.

"He met two women at a tourist hangout on Khao San Road in Bangkok, and after a few drinks, they led him to a taxi and drove him to various ATM machines to withdraw cash," Provincial Police Region 1 commissioner Maj-General Kachen Kotchapalayuk said.

One of these women was allegedly Nattanan, while the other was identified as Arom Kaewruang, 25.

Nattanan and her son, Krit, were arrested on Thursday after he was found to have used the victim's credit card to withdraw cash.

Police are in the process of seeking an arrest warrant for Arom.


-- The Nation 2013-10-19

"A man has confessed to drugging several monks...in order to steal their valuables."

I suppose that's the tradeoff when one abandons renunciation.

They got him......good job......with the M.O. there's no telling what else took place with knocked out people. Chances are it didn't stop at theft.....

As our pgrahmm has mentioned, who knows what else is involved here, perhaps some people have even died?

If this does not warrant a life sentence, than what does? This is bad well beyond bad.

"He confessed during the interrogation," the source said.

Sounds a bit like Spanish Inquisition stuff.

Besides, what can you possibly steal from Buddhist monks? Aren't they supposed to have no worldly possessions except their robes, an alms bowl and a few personal items like a pair of flip-flops, a toothbrush, etc.?

Oh, I forgot, we're of course talking about THAI Buddhist monks, from whom you can pilfer things like the latest smartphone model, keys to their BMW and holiday home in Acapulco, bank account books with very healthy balances, diamond-encrusted cigarette cases, land title deeds, brand-name wrist watches and bags, expensive sun shades, long lists of winning lottery numbers, and lots and lots of cash stuffed into the brand-name jeans they're not supposed to wear under their robe in the first place.

Sorry for my sarcasm.... not.

In the end it's a good thing they caught that thieving scum.

They got him......good job......with the M.O. there's no telling what else took place with knocked out people. Chances are it didn't stop at theft.....

Chances are that is wild speculation and rumour-mongering.

This individual has got to rank as the lowest of the low, I hope the courts lock this..........person up and throw away the key once he is convicted.

Yet another story where there is a moral but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Is it a crime to steal from thieves?

Seen him on tv today, crying and sniveling on, asking for forgiveness,

The ironic part of the story, robbing monks for their valuables ?!,

regards Worgeordie

Seen him on tv today, crying and sniveling on, asking for forgiveness,

The ironic part of the story, robbing monks for their valuables ?!,

regards Worgeordie

The stories keep getting lower and lower.

Next it will be someone stealing pet cockroaches from homeless street orphans.

"He confessed during the interrogation," the source said.

Sounds a bit like Spanish Inquisition stuff.

Very common occurrence...the accused knows that once arrested chances of being found guilty by the judge are very high, but it is also common for the sentence to be cut approx. in half if admitting to the crime. So, the accused knows he/she is most likely going to be found guilty/go to jail....might as well confess and get the sentence reduced by half.

Yeap, very common occurrence in Thailand...that why you hear in the news "all the time" that the person "admitted to the crime." It's almost like as soon as the police arrest them, they squeal on themselves and any others involved in the crime...all done to reduce their jail time.

They got him......good job......with the M.O. there's no telling what else took place with knocked out people. Chances are it didn't stop at theft.....

Chances are that is wild speculation and rumour-mongering.

The mind of some has no governor installed.

Seen him on tv today, crying and sniveling on, asking for forgiveness,

The ironic part of the story, robbing monks for their valuables ?!,

regards Worgeordie

They wear watches, have cell phones and glasses. That's valuable to some of us, at least to me.

Edited October 20, 201312 yr by Benmart

Seen him on tv today, crying and sniveling on, asking for forgiveness,

The ironic part of the story, robbing monks for their valuables ?!,

regards Worgeordie

Yes, I saw him too, crying like a child, saying how sorry he was that someone died, he prostrated himself before a couple of those who survived his poisoning , one of them said he was an evil man who deserved nothing less than the death sentence.