In Surin, a temple’s safe containing over 6.5 million baht was broken into. The incident took place in an old monk’s quarters, which were equipped with CCTV cameras that were reportedly non-functional. The abbot expressed a desire to keep the incident quiet and not to make it public. Police are investigating, looking for fingerprints but have yet to find any suspects.
On October 21, 2024, it was reported that a page named “E-Sor Kai Yi News: E-Sor” mentioned the robbery at a temple in Surin, stating the abbot and committee members requested silence regarding the funds stolen and that the CCTV was out of order. Media investigations confirmed the incident occurred in Choknasam Subdistrict of Prasat District, Surin.
The press visited the temple where the theft occurred, discovering the previous monk’s quarters had surveillance cameras that were claimed to be non-operational. Police secured the area with police tape for investigation, while the temple maintained a quiet atmosphere amid visitors bringing offerings to the abbot, who is 70 years old.
During the visit, the press found the abbot trying to avoid being photographed, stating, “I want to stay quiet” and requesting not to publicize the incident.
The abbot shared that the safe, hidden in his old living quarters, had gone unused for the last three years. The safe was broken into through a window, and he has reported the theft to the authorities, confirming the loss of approximately 6.5 million baht.
When asked if the perpetrator could be someone from the temple, the abbot refrained from commenting. Police have already collected fingerprints from everyone associated with the temple for investigation.
One monk reported that on the morning of the crime, while cleaning the old quarters, they discovered the safe had been damaged and alerted the abbot, who then contacted the police.
According to police, who inspected the site on the morning of October 20, the safe was made of heavy materials and had been forcibly entered. Evidence collection for DNA analysis was conducted, and investigation processes are ongoing to identify the responsible parties.
This article was rewritten from a Thairath’s news article.
