Monk Dies After Electric Shock From New Pressure Washer
A 48-year-old Buddhist monk and acting abbot in Chiang Rai died from electric shock while using a newly purchased pressure washer at his temple on September 27. Authorities are investigating whether the stainless steel-handled equipment had
A development monk and acting abbot of a well-known Chiang Rai temple has died after suffering an electric shock from a newly purchased high-pressure water sprayer. Ban Du Police in Chiang Rai received a report on September 27, 2025, after Phra Abhichai, 48, was found lying on wet ground near the temple's main building with the spraying equipment and its hoses beside him. Police and rescue workers arrived to find marks consistent with electrical burns on his hands where he had gripped the sprayer nozzle, which featured a stainless steel handle. The community had immediately cut the temple's power supply to prevent further danger.
According to village headman Yodsawit Pintasan, Phra Abhichai had consulted with temple supporters and residents that afternoon about purchasing a larger pressure washer to remove algae and moss from the temple grounds, reducing slip hazards for elderly visitors during merit-making activities. The original machine had become worn and undersized. He purchased a larger model with a stainless steel nozzle the same evening and assembled it. The next morning, CCTV footage showed the sprayer operating for less than 30 minutes before Phra Abhichai collapsed, convulsed, and fell motionless. A passerby discovered him and alerted authorities.
Phra Abhichai was known for undertaking many temple maintenance tasks himself and had recently assumed acting duties as abbot following his predecessor's death less than a year earlier. His formal appointment as abbot had been scheduled for early October. His sudden death has deeply shocked the temple committee and community. Authorities have sent the body for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death, while the temple committee is investigating the equipment's safety standards and checking for electrical leakage issues with the manufacturer. A five-day merit ceremony is planned, with a cremation service scheduled for October 2, 2025. The temple is using the tragedy to urge the public to exercise caution when using electrical equipment near water and to regularly inspect wiring and electrical surge-protection systems.
