Phuket Monk Fatally Shoots Fellow Monk Over Bullying
PHUKET — A Buddhist monk fatally shot another monk at Wat Khao Rung temple in Phuket’s Muang district early Sunday morning, claiming he acted out of frustration after being repeatedly bullied.
Police said the shooting occurred just before 6 a.m. in the temple bathroom, where officers found the body of 36-year-old Phra Niwat with four gunshot wounds to his neck, arm, and chest. Investigators recovered four spent .38 caliber cartridges at the scene.
The suspect, Phra Jaruek, 47, fled to his quarters after the shooting. Police surrounded his room and persuaded him to surrender. A search uncovered a loaded .38 revolver and 14 rounds of ammunition.
During questioning, Phra Jaruek told officers he had suffered constant bullying from Phra Niwat. He said that on the morning of the killing, he became enraged when the victim entered the bathroom and played loud audio on his phone.
“So I took the gun from my room, shot him, and reloaded another six rounds,” he reportedly confessed.
Police escorted Phra Jaruek to the ecclesiastical district governor, who formally expelled him from the monkhood. He now faces criminal charges for the killing.
