Police Hunt Thief Who Stole Buddha Hair on Koh Larn
Police are investigating the theft of the sacred hair ornament from the Phra Buddha Sihing statue at Wat Mai Samran on Koh Larn island, where over three baht of gold has gone missing. The ornament was last seen intact on October 2 and discovered missing on October 7, with temple CCTV cables cut and footprints found at the scene. Officials urge anyone with information to come forward to help recover the relic.
Phra Buddha Sihing is an important Buddha image that the residents of Koh Larn jointly created to commemorate the temple’s 100th anniversary. The casting ceremony took place on July 18, 2024, with devotees donating precious metals, including over three baht of gold, naek bracelets, sacred coins and other auspicious metals, which were melted together to form both the statue and its hair ornament. The loss of the hair, which contains the gold component, has upset both monks and locals, who regard it as a material and spiritual treasure representing the community’s collective faith.
Upon discovering the missing ornament, Abbot Phra Kru Sut Thammathiwuthi of Wat Mai Samran appealed for public assistance, especially from gold shops, second‑hand dealers and metal smelters, urging anyone who sees a piece resembling the stolen hair to report it to the temple or the Pattaya City Police. He also asked the possible taker to recognize the religious significance of the image, which was made from the faith of many people, and to return it to the temple so that the heritage built by Koh Larn residents can be preserved.
Temple officials have filed a formal complaint with the Pattaya City Police Station, and forensic officers have examined the scene, collecting fingerprints and footprints for further analysis. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to identify the suspect and recover the stolen relic.
