Senior Abbot Found Dead, Suicide Suspected

[Jacob Maslow]

The senior abbot of a Buddhist temple in the Rat Burana district of Bangkok was found dead in his room on Tuesday. Police suspect that the abbot committed suicide. Police along with rescue workers and forensic officials from the Siriraj Hospital rushed to the Wat Prasert Sutthawas temple after being alerted of the situation at 4am on Tuesday.

Police found the body of the senior abbot, Phra Khru Wisutthipanyakorn, in a pool blood in his room. The 61-year-old abbot had suffered a gunshot wound to the head. Police found a .32 pistol and a suicide note near the body. According to police, there were no signs of struggle in the room.

The abbot’s aide Phra Chaiwat Rachong stated that he walked past Mr. Wisutthipanyakorn’s room at 9pm and saw him lying in bed in the dark. Mr. Rachong assumed that the abbot was sleeping.

The abbot’s aide passed his room again at 1am and saw that the lights were still off. When Mr. Rachong called out to Mr. Wisutthipanyakorn, there was no response. Mr. Rachong turned on the lights and found the senior monk dead with a pistol beside his body.

Police have learned that Mr. Wisutthipanyakorn suffered from chronic joint pain and diabetes. The senior monk rarely talked about his problems to others. Police believe that stress from his illness may have caused him to take his own life.

Police are still investigating the abbot’s death.

-- 2015-05-13

[Eddy B]

Jeez!! Even monk's are packing heat these days. The morning alms run must be getting more dangerous. How did they not hear the sound of the gun firing?? RIP

[ratcatcher]

And did anybody hear a gunshot?