Buddhist monk electrocuted after playing on his phone while connected to a broken charger
- 5 years ago
A Buddhist monk was electrocuted while lying on his bed smoking cigarettes and playing on his mobile phone with a broken charger.
Phra Ruengyot, 49, was last seen alive on Thursday (December 12) night when he told religious colleagues he was going back to his small hut to meditate.
But the monk indulged in a secret session with coffee, cigarettes and online entertainment - two vices that monks are banned from indulging in.
Ruengyot was also using his Android smartphone phone with a broken charger, which he had been complaining about to friends but did not get round to buying a new one.
A nun in the grounds of the temple said they did not worry when Ruengyot had not been seen for three days as they believed his was carrying out good deeds in the local town.
Maliwan Phuwiset, 62, was shocked when she checked in his room early Monday (December 16) morning and found him dead. There was an ashtray, an empty packet of cigarettes, an empty coffee sachet and the faulty charger cable at his side.
Ruengyot's handset was next to him plugged into a black cable, which was in turn connected to a pink extension cable and there were burns on his arm.
Maliwan said: "He went out every morning, but we did not see him for the past three days. We just thought he was visiting nearby towns.
"I then went to the hut and found him. His body was swollen and there were burn marks on his skin.''
Police Captian Adisak Boonchaiyo from the Yangtalat district police station, arrived at the scene with local paramedics.
Officers believed the pastor's death was caused by an electric shock from the charger cable. The pink extension cable was still connected to the mains and had a red light on when the emergency crews arrived.
Police captain Boonchaiyo said there were no signs of struggle or any stolen property from the room. They believe that he had been dead for four days.
Pol Captain Boonchaiyo added: "The monk may have been fall asleep while using his mobile phone as it charged. Then somehow he was electrocuted and remained there for three nights before people found him."
The monk's mother Tha Phusena, 73, said Ruengyot had been a Buddhist monk for around four years. She believes his death was an accident and did not ask the police to investigate.
She said: "It's unbearable that my son has already died. He was healthy and I have no suspicions about his death."
Abbot Kittipanyakorn, one of Ruengyot's colleagues at the temple, said the dead monk was known for spending a lot of time on mobile phone.
Kittipanyakorn said: "Ruengyot often talked about his broken charger and planned to buy a new one in the next few weeks. But he just did not have chance to buy one, then this tragic accident happened.
''This incident will be a lesson to everyone who uses their mobile phone while it is charging or people who have broken equipment.''
Phra Ruengyot, 49, was last seen alive on Thursday (December 12) night when he told religious colleagues he was going back to his small hut to meditate.
But the monk indulged in a secret session with coffee, cigarettes and online entertainment - two vices that monks are banned from indulging in.
Ruengyot was also using his Android smartphone phone with a broken charger, which he had been complaining about to friends but did not get round to buying a new one.
A nun in the grounds of the temple said they did not worry when Ruengyot had not been seen for three days as they believed his was carrying out good deeds in the local town.
Maliwan Phuwiset, 62, was shocked when she checked in his room early Monday (December 16) morning and found him dead. There was an ashtray, an empty packet of cigarettes, an empty coffee sachet and the faulty charger cable at his side.
Ruengyot's handset was next to him plugged into a black cable, which was in turn connected to a pink extension cable and there were burns on his arm.
Maliwan said: "He went out every morning, but we did not see him for the past three days. We just thought he was visiting nearby towns.
"I then went to the hut and found him. His body was swollen and there were burn marks on his skin.''
Police Captian Adisak Boonchaiyo from the Yangtalat district police station, arrived at the scene with local paramedics.
Officers believed the pastor's death was caused by an electric shock from the charger cable. The pink extension cable was still connected to the mains and had a red light on when the emergency crews arrived.
Police captain Boonchaiyo said there were no signs of struggle or any stolen property from the room. They believe that he had been dead for four days.
Pol Captain Boonchaiyo added: "The monk may have been fall asleep while using his mobile phone as it charged. Then somehow he was electrocuted and remained there for three nights before people found him."
The monk's mother Tha Phusena, 73, said Ruengyot had been a Buddhist monk for around four years. She believes his death was an accident and did not ask the police to investigate.
She said: "It's unbearable that my son has already died. He was healthy and I have no suspicions about his death."
Abbot Kittipanyakorn, one of Ruengyot's colleagues at the temple, said the dead monk was known for spending a lot of time on mobile phone.
Kittipanyakorn said: "Ruengyot often talked about his broken charger and planned to buy a new one in the next few weeks. But he just did not have chance to buy one, then this tragic accident happened.
''This incident will be a lesson to everyone who uses their mobile phone while it is charging or people who have broken equipment.''