New probe into monk's murder

The Special Investigations Department will resume an investigation into the murder of activist monk Phra Suphoj Suwajo after a reshuffle of officials.
DSI director-general Sunai Monamai-udom dismissed a previous theory put forward by initial investigations that the monk was shot because of a love affair. He said this was likely impossible as there had never been any witnesses to Suphoj meeting any women.Sunai said he suspected pornographic material found on the monk's notebook computer after he was murdered on June 18, 2005 could have been downloaded after the event by someone wanting to discredit him. The pornographic material could have been downloaded to try to mislead investigators into believing Suphoj was obsessed with sex, which had led to him becoming involved with a female lover in violation of his vow of celibacy. Abbot Phra Suphoj was found beaten to death outside his living quarters at Suan Mettatham monastery in Chiang Mai's Fang district. Fellow monks and lay followers allege that the murder was ordered by someone who was in conflict with the monk, who was an avowed environmentalist. Sunai said he believed Phra Suphoj at the time of his murder had gone outside his living quarters to meet a person or persons he knew, and was killed by them, because he was not wearing his full robe and he had left his computer and Internet connection turned on. The Nation
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