Daughter fears for missing monk

A 28-year-old woman has asked the Crime Suppression Division to help find her father, a senior monk at Baan Phrao temple in Nakhon Thai district, who she claims has been missing for three weeks. Chophet Nuanwan said her father, who goes by the Buddhist name Phra Detkongkraphan, disappeared from the temple on Dec 17 after travelling to a meritmaking ceremony on a mountain in the district. The 56-year-old went with another monk, identified as Phra Amnaj, who has since been defrocked for drug abuse. The woman said her father has never been on a merit-making trip for so long. She said it was out of character for him not to contact his family to explain his whereabouts. The defrocked monk told police that Phra Detkongkraphan went missing during their merit-making trip and he said that he has not heard from him since. Ms Chophet said she reported her concerns to the police on Dec 19, but no headway has been made to date.