On Monday, police officers from the Ban Du Police Station in Mueang Chiang Rai District received a report of a robbery at Rasami Maneechot Temple in Pong Phra Baht Community of Ban Du Subdistrict.
When the police officers arrived, they found Ms. Sangwan, also known as Aunt Lek, 65, in a state of shock. Her shirt appeared to have a 2-centimetre tear from a sharp object, but she only suffered a bruise from the incident.
Nearby, officers discovered a 7-inch knife, which they collected as evidence before transporting Aunt Lek to Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital for medical attention.
According to the investigation, Aunt Lek was sweeping leaves at the temple when a tall man wearing a black mask and appearing intoxicated approached her. He threatened her with a knife and demanded money.
When she resisted and tried to grab the knife, he stabbed her in the stomach and stole 1,000 baht from her shirt pocket. As Aunt Lek shouted for help, the attacker dropped the knife and fled down the hill with the money.
Wat Rasami Maneechot Temple is located on a mountain far from the local community, and there have been several thefts in the area. On February 28, someone stole food from the kitchen and a 9-inch Buddha statue.
On March 1, a barrel of fuel was taken, and on March 7-8, an unsuccessful attempt was made to steal Aunt Lek’s mobile phone.
Monday’s incident occurred while two monks were away in another province, leaving only Aunt Lek and some construction workers at the temple. Ban Du Police are now gathering evidence to track down the suspect.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
