SONGKHLA - A father-of-three kicked the abbot of a temple to the ground when the elderly monk gave him food he did not like at a temple hall in Hat Yai district on Thursday morning.
Phra Ajarn Palad Sen Jinnasaro, 77, abbot of Wat Thakian in tambon Khuan Lang, and six fellow monks were eating food contributed as alms when the incident occurred around 7.30am.
A middle-aged man arrived on a motorcycle, accompanied by three children, walked over to the abbot and asked for food.
The elderly abbot gave the man cooked rice with other food on top of it. But the layman said he wanted only side dishes because he already had cooked rice at home.
The abbot, left, tells a monk and other Buddhist disciples of what happened to him on Thursday morning. (Photo by Assawin Pakkawan)
The abbot then gave him fish curry and tom jued, a clear soup with vegetables and minced pork that is not spicy, so his children could eat the soup. Upon seeing the food the man became upset and said he did not like fish curry or the soup.
He started complaining loudly that the abbot ate only the best of the food, leaving the less favoured dishes for local residents. After thoroughly scolding the abbot, the man took his children away.
Shortly after, he arrived back at the temple alone on his bike and walked over to the abbot, who was still having breakfast with the other monks. The man prostrated himself before the abbot three times.
To the monks' astonishment, the man then stood up and suddenly kicked the abbot on the back of his neck, knocking him to the floor, according to Phra Chamnarn Thipkaew, who filed a complaint with Hat Yai police on behalf of the abbot.
The angry man did not leave right away. He rudely scolded the abbot again, saying the monks ate only the best dishes. He also criticised him for the unfinished construction work at the temple.
The other monks restrained the man and tried to calm him down. Eventually the man became quiet and seemed to realise what he had done. He again prostrated himself before the abbot, who had bruising on his face caused when he fell to the ground.
The man placed the abbot's hand on his head, a gesture seeking forgiveness, before leaving the temple without saying anything more.
Police were looking for the man.
Wat Thakian in tambon Khuan Lang, Hat Yai district, Songkhla, where the abbot was assaulted on Thursday morning. (Photo by Assawin Pakkawan)