Overly Affectionate Individual Encourages Trouble; Harmless Bison; Gracious Burglar
In the peaceful town of Khon Kaen, three unusual incidents have shaken the community. A local man named Jatupol, also known as "Golf", stands accused of a heinous crime, while a five-year-old buffalo has claimed a life, and an antique brass incense burner has mysteriously disappeared.
Jatupol, who resided with his mother Jarasrat in a two-storey wooden house in Ban Phai district, is said to have killed his mother in a brutal attack. Jarasrat's lifeless body was discovered in their home, with signs of severe trauma. According to police reports, Jatupol beat, kicked, and repeatedly slammed his mother's head against a wooden post. Jarasrat's face was swollen and bruised due to the fight.
The tragic event took place without any witnesses, but cries for help were captured by CCTV, and the door was later found locked. It was two days after the incident that locals forced their way into the house and found Jatupol sitting cross-legged beside his mother's body. Jatupol admitted under questioning that he had lashed out at his mother after she tried to make him take pills for depression, which he had been unemployed for nearly two years.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, Vasant Komkamin, a 59-year-old man, was killed by his own buffalo near a public reservoir in Nang Rong district. The five-year-old buffalo, which is now being sold for 50,000 baht, has reportedly shown signs of aggression, leading Vasant's family to decide to sell it due to fear of further attacks.
In a third incident, an antique brass incense burner, over 80 years old and carrying deep spiritual significance, was stolen from Wat Suwan Temee in Bang Nam Priao district. The abbot of the temple has filed a police report, but the thief has yet to be caught. The CCTV footage shows the thief raising his hands in a wai to the spirits before making off with the precious artefact.
The Luang Pu shrine at Wat Suwan Temee houses statues of former abbots and their brass urns, where residents worship. The theft of the antique brass incense burner has left the community in shock and disbelief, as the item holds great cultural and spiritual value.
The village headman had reportedly noticed Jatupol becoming withdrawn and listless in the days leading up to the killing, expressing concerns about his behaviour. The community is left to grapple with these tragic events, as they search for answers and healing.
