DSI staffer injured by own drone at Wat Dhammakaya

A bleeding DSI official leaves the vicinity of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, after saving his spy drone from crashing to the ground in Pathum Thani province on Friday. (Photo by Pongpat Wongyala)

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) deployed small drones to spy on the compound of Wat Phra Dhammakaya in Pathum Thani province on Friday, and an operator was hit on the head catching one when it fell from the sky.

DSI officials launched two drones from in front of Gate 7 of the vast temple complex in Khlong Luang district about noon.

There were no signs a raid was imminent on the 2,000-rai compound to arrest the founder and former abbot, Phra Dhammajayo, who is wanted under arrest warrants for laundering money, receiving stolen property and encroaching on national forests.

About five minutes after takeoff, one of the drones seemed to stall and fall from the sky. An official ran out to catch it, and one of the four spinning propellors inflicted a severe cut on his head, which bled freely.

The DSI team then left, without talking to the many journalists covering the situation there.

Thousands of monks and laymen followers remain inside the temple, posing an obvious problem for any attempt by authorities to enter and seize Phra Dhammajayo.