Temple Reports Theft of 50 Baht Gold Buddha's Head; Legal Action Taken

Khaosod•Society•82d ago

Reader Briefing

A temple abbot reported the theft of a 50 baht gold Buddha's head, leading to criminal and civil legal actions after an inspection revealed it was made of brass with minimal gold content.

•An abbot reported the theft of a gold Buddha's head weighing approximately 50 baht from Boon Chuen Chu Temple in Pathum Thani.
•A recent inspection revealed the Buddha's head was primarily brass, containing only 2.39% gold, despite the supposed donation of 45 baht in gold.
•Criminal and civil legal proceedings have been initiated against the unknown perpetrator(s).
•The incident occurred after a ceremony in March 2016, with the discrepancy discovered on April 28, 2019.

Overview

•In March 2016, Boon Chuen Chu Temple organized ceremonies to cast a Buddha statue and bells, with Nakhon Khanthoulis as the sponsor.
•Thanyamit Sangkapan was hired for the casting, and they subsequently hired an unknown team to perform the casting of the Buddha's head and statue.
•Nakhon Khanthoulis donated 45 baht of gold for the casting of the Buddha's head, which was witnessed by the public.
•Approximately two weeks after the casting, the Buddha's head was returned to the abbot's kuti for safekeeping.
•On April 12, 2019, discussions began about verifying the Buddha's head for sale to expand temple land.
•On April 28, 2019, the Buddha's head was taken to Namo Ban Chang Thong in Saraburi for inspection, revealing its true composition.
•Phra Kru Pathumpunyopas Paitoon, the abbot, officially reported the matter to the police, initiating criminal and civil investigations.
•The temple and the sponsor have suffered financial loss due to the alleged deception regarding the gold's authenticity and weight.

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Key Quotes

Phra Kru Pathumpunyopas Paitoon

"I came to report, and asked the police to investigate the origin of the gold casting. The gold Buddha's head the abbot kept well in his kuti, locked, and nobody could have tampered with it."

มาแจ้งความ ก็ให้ทางเจ้าหน้าที่ตำรวจ สอบที่มาหล่อทอง ดำเนินการไป เกศพระทอง หลวงพ่อก็เก็บไว้ในกุฎิไว้อย่างดี ใส่กุญแจไว้อย่างดี ไม่มีใครมารื้อ

Key Entities

Person

Abbot of Boon Chuen Chu Temple(หลวงพ่อวัดบุญชื่นชู)

The abbot who reported the theft of the gold Buddha's head and is pursuing legal action.

Phra Kru Pathumpunyopas Paitoon(พระครูปทุมปุญโญภาสไพทูรย์ จรบำรุง)

The abbot and director of Boon Chuen Chu Temple, who filed the complaint.

Nakhon Khanthoulis(นคร คันธอุลิส)

The sponsor who donated 45 baht of gold for the Buddha's head casting.

Wuttinan Somsunnan(ว่าที่ ร.ต.ต.วุฒินันท์ สมสุนันท์)

The Deputy Station Inspector (Investigator) at Pak Klong Rangsit Police Station handling the case.

Place

Boon Chuen Chu(บุณชื่นชู)

The name of the temple in Pathum Thani where the incident occurred.

Pak Klong Rangsit Police Station(สภ.ปากคลองรังสิต)

The police station where the complaint was filed and the investigation is being conducted.

Namo Ban Chang Thong, Saraburi(ร้านนะโมบ้านช่างทอง จสระบุรี)

The gold testing shop where the Buddha's head was examined, revealing its true composition.

Organization

Police(ตร.)

The law enforcement agency investigating the alleged theft and fraud.

Thanyamit Sangkapan(ร้านธัญญมิตร สังฆภัณฑ์)

The company hired by the temple to manage the casting process.

Timeline

May 1, 2026(1 พ.ค. 69)

The date of the initial report about the Buddha's head investigation.

March 2016(มีนาคม 2016)

The period when the temple held ceremonies for casting the Buddha statue and bells.

April 12, 2026(12 เม.ย 2026)

The date when discussions began about verifying the Buddha's head for sale.

April 28, 2026(28 เม.ย 2026)

The date the Buddha's head was taken for inspection, revealing it was not pure gold.