Thief sneaks into a store in Ubon Ratana district, Khon Kaen province, took soap on October 16 and was shot dead by his owner.

Authorities found two soap bars and a box of talcum powder taken from the store in the pocket of the intruder, said Phra Winai Sutthiyano, 48, according to Naris Piakas, Ubon Ratana district police chief.

Theerapol shop owner Theparos said he was sleeping in the next room at about 3am 16/10 when he heard a noise coming from the store.

"I hit the mark, thinking it might be an acquaintance, but there was no response," Theparos said. He then fired a gun through the door, targeting the thief but did not know the intruder was a monk.

Sutthiyano was hit by bullets and was rushed to the emergency room by medical staff at Ubon Ratana Hospital but died from a severe injury.

Sutthiyano is a monk at Wat Manee Sila-art in a village in Ubon Ratana. The police are investigating the monk's motive when he broke into the shop at dawn. Theparos store owner was initially arrested for deliberately killing, but preliminary investigations revealed that the man had no intention of killing Sutthiyano.