Mother Defends Jailed Son in Temple Desecration Case
A mother visited a temple in Songkhla to defend her imprisoned son against accusations he desecrated a Buddha statue, asserting he remains in custody and could not have committed the August incident.
A mother has visited the temple to demand justice and clarify facts, firmly denying that her son committed the sacrilege. An incident at Saraket Temple in Muang district, Songkhla, involved someone placing underwear on a Buddha statue, urinating on a principal Buddha image in the main chapel, and destroying religious items including altars and flower arrangements. Investigators believe the perpetrator is a recently released convict seeking to announce his return and exact revenge on a monk who had reported him to police, resulting in his arrest.
On August 19, Monk Aortchai from Saraket Temple revealed that the temple has not filed charges against anyone because the abbot chose to treat the matter as forgiveness. The temple lacks CCTV footage, making it impossible to identify the perpetrator. Monks and villagers cleaned the area, though odors remain, necessitating temporary closure of the affected section.
On the same day, the mother of the suspect visited the temple to seek justice and refute accusations, firmly asserting her son remains imprisoned and under court detention orders, having not been released. She stated she recently visited him in prison, making it impossible for him to have committed the act. She declared that if her son is genuinely guilty, she accepts legal proceedings and punishment, but emphasized that spreading false information has damaged her family's reputation, and she is prepared to pursue legal action against those spreading falsehoods.
The family is willing to provide information, cooperate with police and district officials, and submit documentation proving the son remains in custody to establish the truth and restore justice.
