Bangkok: – The gunman suspect has been arrested and charged for involving in the contract killing of a senior monk in Udon Thani, national police chief General Somyos Pumpanmuang said.

Following his arrest in Kalasin, suspect Panja Chareesaen admitted to killing Phra Bandit Supanthito, the abbot of Wat Pa To Si Siad, Mueang Udon Thani on March 1.

Panja said he was paid 50,000 baht by contract broker Police Senior Sergeant Major ChanchaiSoisangwan.

He said he used his modified shotgun to fire M-16 bullets to kill the monk who was completing the morning’s round of alms and walking back to his temple through a remote area.

He also said Chanchai drove him to the scene and pointed out the victim and that he did not know his victim was the monk until arriving at the scene.

He said he was just waiting for the police to arrest him as he could not sleep, saying he had bad dreams about the monk.

Somyos said based on Panja’s statement, police will issue the warrants to arrest two additional suspects, including Chanchai.

Presently, Chanchai has been discharged from the police service. And he is believed to have fled to Laos.

Another suspect is a well-known businessman, whose initial is B.

Investigators suspect that B put out the contract on the monk’s life because of jealousy. B’s mistress, who is a widowed dentist, has been spending most of her time at the temple practicing meditation.

Prior to the arrest of Panja, the national police chief intervened to transfer two senior police officers, Maj General Boonlue Kobangyang and Maj General Chatyat Saithin, out of Udon Thani.

The two have been known to be close to B and Chanchai used to serve as the driver for Boonlue.

We all know that matters of the heart can get you killed here but i can't help feeling there may be more to it but whether the full story ever comes out is another matter.

Am I missing something here? So the major suspect is now ex-police and managed to flee to Laos. I assume never to be heard of again and the other suspect for some reason we cant even name. I assume he is that influential or connected that we can only assign him an initial instead of dragging him in for questioning and naming him. So one or both of the people that organised the hit will never face justice and the goose trigger man will probably do life (which he should) but as usual those in the upper tiers never ever face justice in this mad joint ... ahhh TIT

Yeah I am missing something.. why modify a shotgun to fire military ammunition? Seems a little redundant surely and impractical. Wouldn't just the shotty do the job? and while we are on the topic (the experts will run with this one) how would you modify even a small bore shotty to fire ammo as small as 5.56. Methinks maybe the shotty perhaps was not the murder weapon