Police suspect that a monk from Kandal Pagoda killed himself by self-immolation in Ratanak Mondol district, Battambang province on Monday.

“We have investigated this case and the result was suicide,” said Battambang police chief Chhang Van Chhai.

Van Chhai directed questions to officers at the technical office of the Battambang provincial police who investigated the case.

“The provincial technical office knows more about this. I am just a district police chief, so my response is limited,” he said.

Technical and Forensic Office chief Cheam Champuroth told The Post on Tuesday: “According to the facts, an electric water heater was placed under his bed. It is not an accident, but Heat Hak, 21, purposely placed papers and his clothes there to catch fire. He tied himself to his bed using his clothes.”

Citing a monk from Siem Reap, who is Hak’s older brother, Champuroth said before Pchum Ben, Hak talked with his brother on the phone about how he was sad and he no longer wanted to live. His brother then advised him to not be sad or think of suicide.

The report from the provincial police said the monk died in a room on the second floor of the pagoda. He came from Balaing commune, Prasat Bakong district, Siem Reap province. He went to Kandal Pagoda for the Pchum Ben festival.

Kandal Pagoda chief Keo Sampong, who arrived on the scene, said he saw smoke from the monk’s room. He then tried to open the door, but it was locked. He called others to break the door to enter the room and put out the fire.

“I and another monk named Heng Hinva saw the smoke from the room, but the door was locked. We then called others to help put out the fire.

“We pulled the door and entered the room, but the monk was burned all over his body. While the fire was burning, I heard the sound of prayer from the monk. We put out the fire using water, but he died at 12:15pm. I then called police,” he said.