The body of a 51-year-old monk was found deceased under a bed inside a temple monk's quarters in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. No signs of physical harm were found. Doctors suspect the death may have been caused by an underlying illness or a sudden cerebral hemorrhage.
At 09:30 on 2 Feb 2026, Police Lieutenant Colonel Yingyong Chuaykit, an investigator at Mueang Nakhon Si Thammarat Police Station, was notified of a mysterious death of a monk inside the quarters of Wat Bua (Khoksathon), Village No. 9, Na Khian Subdistrict, Mueang District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. Upon receiving the report, he, along with Police Colonel Kittichai Kranara, the station chief, the investigation team, a forensic doctor from Maharaj Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital, and officials from Pracharuamjai Foundation, went to the scene.
Upon arrival inside the quarters, beneath a wooden bed, they found the deceased identified as Monk Anuchit, also known as Monk Nu Itthakam, aged 51, a resident monk. He was lying dead under the bed, dressed neatly in monk's robes. The body showed blood coming from the nose and mouth. The forensic doctor and police conducted a thorough autopsy and found no injuries from physical assault. A detailed search inside the quarters revealed no signs of disturbance, and all the deceased's belongings, including his mobile phone and alms bag, were intact and not missing.
Forensic doctor Mrs. Nasarat Wijitphongjinda from Maharaj Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital told the deceased's relatives that no abnormalities were found during the autopsy. Preliminary findings suggest death was likely due to chronic lung disease and severe coughing, as the deceased had a history of tuberculosis. This may have led to a sudden brain hemorrhage. The deceased might have struggled and died under the bed. The body is estimated to have been deceased for about 6-8 hours. The family expressed no suspicion about the cause of death. The doctor will perform a detailed autopsy to determine the exact cause.
Monk Sombun Watkhamo, a fellow resident monk, said that around 09:00 that morning, he noticed Monk Anuchit did not come out for the usual morning alms round. It was a Buddhist holy day, and normally Monk Anuchit would prepare the seating mats for monks at the sermon hall. His absence was unusual, so he went to check on him at the quarters and found him mysteriously deceased under the bed. Upon touching the body, he found it stiff. Shocked, he informed the family and the abbot, who then notified the police to conduct an autopsy.
However, earlier that day at around 04:00, another monk had seen Monk Anuchit sweeping leaves in the temple courtyard before returning to his quarters. The cause of why he died under the bed remains unclear. Nevertheless, once the forensic doctor confirmed the death was due to a chronic illness causing a sudden brain hemorrhage, the family accepted the cause and plans to proceed with traditional funeral rites.