SAFFRON SHIELD; BOMB MISHAP; FAN'S LAMENT; FAKE ROBBERY

A Maha Sarakham druggie who had been ordained as a monk for two days brought a lively drug trade with him to his new life at the temple.

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Officials from the Maha Sarakham provincial administration raided his monk's hut and seized over 1,000 methamphetamine pills.

Known as Phra A, 36, in the media, he was posing as a monk to sell drugs to youngsters, they say.

The special operations team who nabbed A found drugs hidden in his robes and his hut at the temple in Phayakkhaphum Phisai district.

The arrest followed complaints from residents that the monk, a new arrival who was thought to be fleeing the law, was using the temple as a place to sell methamphetamine to teens.

When officials turned up at his hut, they found Phra A trying to escape through a window.

The officials were able to apprehend him. During their search, 31 pills were found hidden within his robes, with a search of his hut turning up a further 1,200 pills.

He was disrobed as a monk and charged with peddling drugs.

Police say checks on his record found he was a major drug dealer in the area, and fighting drug-related charges in court after being arrested late last year.

Reporters say that while officials were detaining him, Phra A's relatives and wife were crying and embracing each other, saying they had warned him not to engage in such activities again, but he ignored them.

Let’s try that again

A heartbroken Surat Thani man who threw a bomb at his ex-girlfriend’s kin after failing to reconcile lost his life when it went off in his hand.

Tha Chana district rescuers found the body of Surapong Thongnak, or “Bob”, 35, lying face down at a house, the blast having taken his life and injuring four others, who were taken to hospital.

Police inquiries revealed Surapong had gone to the house to reconcile with his girlfriend, Kalyanrapas “Tak” Sawakhan, 27, who knew the owners and was staying there temporarily.