Cop hits monk in alms bowl spat

Phra Mahasaksorn Khongphol at Muang police station on Wednesday where he filed a complaint against Pol Sr Sgt Maj Manop Chaiyadej for hitting him on the head. (Photo by Methee Muangkaew)

TRANG - A monk lodged a complaint against a policeman on Wednesday for hitting him twice on the head after being told that his alms offering of 500 baht was excessive.

Phra Mahasaksorn Khongphol also claimed that Pol Sr Sgt Maj Manop Chaiyadej was drunk during the incident that took place while he was on a morning alms round on a road in Muang district.

The monk of Wat Khlong Nam Jed told police at Muang police station that Pol Sr Sgt Maj Manop pulled over his car to put 500 baht in cash in his alms bowl.

When he told him that the money was too much, the policeman got angry and then hit him two times on the head.

Pol Sr Sgt Maj Manop told the shocked people watching the incident that Phra Mahasaksorn Khongphol was a fake monk. Phra Mahasaksorn Khongphol insisted he was a real monk.

After the complaint was filed with station chief Pol Lt Col Prasert Songsaeng, the wife and elder brother of Pol Sr Sgt Maj Manop came to meet him and apologise on his behalf.

But the monk demanded Pol Sr Sgt Maj Manop give him and the temple abbot an apology in person with a promise not to drink to excess.

The brother of the policeman, whose name was not released, said he would take him to the temple within the next few days.

The station chief said Pol Sr Sgt Maj Manop, who was not at the station when the monk filed the complaint, will be fined 1,000 baht on an assault charge.