At 9:00 p.m. on 17 May 2026, Police Lieutenant Apayan Keeta, head of the Ang Thong checkpoint, reported to his superiors that an assailant armed with a shotgun had broken into the quarters of Phra Athikarn Boonlert Attaboonyo, aged 65, the abbot of Wat Kra Chom Thong in Ang Thong subdistrict, Mueang district, Kamphaeng Phet province.
Upon receiving the report, Police Investigator Hemrat Ratta from Mueang Kamphaeng Phet Police Station was notified of the shooting incident at the temple. She, along with Deputy Superintendent Nikhson Saentepin and the investigation team from the station, promptly went to the scene to examine the situation.
At the temple grounds, many locals gathered to observe. Phra Apichot Khumsud, 64, a monk at the temple, revealed that at the time of the incident, all seven monks had already retired to their quarters. His own quarters were about 10 meters behind the abbot’s. He heard a single gunshot, then the abbot calling for help. When he came out, he found the abbot sitting on the stairway of his quarters, bleeding heavily, but saw no sign of the assailant. They then helped take the abbot to Kamphaeng Phet Hospital.
The reason for the shooting remains unknown, as the abbot had no known disputes or conflicts. Locals respected him and confirmed there were no problems. The abbot’s pitbull, named Laem, was chained outside the quarters but did not bark. Normally, the dog would act aggressively toward strangers.
Investigators found bloodstains inside the abbot’s quarters and drops leading out onto the stairs where the abbot sat calling for help. The two CCTV cameras outside were unplugged and lacked memory cards. Inside, there were no signs of a struggle or missing valuables. Police summoned all monks for initial questioning; all said they had been asleep and saw nothing. The monks will be taken in for more detailed interrogation at the police station.
At Kamphaeng Phet Hospital, police examined the abbot’s condition, finding he had been shot with a shotgun using pellets, with 16 wounds on his neck, shoulders, and back. His condition was stable and he was conscious. The abbot recounted that while in his quarters facing away from the door, someone suddenly opened it and shot at him. He fled before seeing the attacker’s face. He stated he had no enemies or conflicts and did not understand why he was targeted.
Authorities will continue investigating to determine the motive and identify the assailant.