Ratchaburi monks fight with shears, knife; one dead

RATCHABURI: A monk died of multiple wounds in a fight with another monk after a quarrel at Wat Don Prom in Bang Phae district on Sunday morning.

Police said the fight occurred at about 9am after Phra Pichit Manrae, 42, shouted at Phra Sanphet Tawabutr, 48, outside his room.

Phra Sanphet stormed out of the room, and the two engaged in verbal abuse. Phra Sanphet went back into his room and came out with a knife, prompting Phra Pichit to grab a pair of garden shears laying nearby, and a fight broke out.

Phra Pichit was stabbed twice in the shoulder, once in the neck, once in the abdomen and one in the ribcage. He collapsed in front of the door to Phra Sanphet's room and died.

Phra Sanphet collected his belongings and fled before the police arrived.

Monks at the temple told police that the two had been at odds and often quarrelled.

Police were looking for Phra Saphet, who had transferred from a temple in PrachuapKhiri Khan province in May.