Man who vandalized a Buddhist temple was killed by a Buddha statue
On February 27, 2024, an unsettling incident unfolded at a Buddhist temple in Banbung district, Chonburi province, Thailand.
Ek, a 49-year-old resident and regular visitor to the temple, launched a violent attack on a monk named Best, with whom he had a prior friendship. Unfortunately, Ek’s behavior took a drastic turn due to the influence of methamphetamine.
Under the drug’s impact, Ek aggressively struck Best’s hand with a lamp before proceeding to the main hall of the temple. Once inside, he wreaked havoc, deliberately toppling and breaking Buddha statues that adorned the sacred space.
Despite Best seeking help from fellow monks who promptly contacted the police, Ek barricaded himself within the hall, continuing his destructive spree.
Upon the police’s arrival, they found Ek still engaged in his destructive rampage, having locked all access points to the main hall. Almost all the Buddha statues in the temple were shattered.
Despite repeated calls for surrender, there was no response. The situation took a grim turn when the police forcibly entered the hall and discovered Ek lying lifeless in a pool of blood. A Buddha statue had impaled his chest, its sharpened tip piercing through his lungs and heart.
It was theorized that Ek, in attempting to vandalize the largest statue, lost balance and fell onto the sharpened tip of another Buddha statue.
The incident resulted in Ek’s rapid demise. Monk Best later expressed remorse, admitting to purchasing methamphetamine with Ek. As a consequence of this grave transgression, he announced his decision to leave the monkhood.
Local media coverage stirred public reactions, with many viewing Ek’s death as a karmic repercussion for the sacrilegious act of desecrating the temple.
