Thai gardener behind US$20 million Saudi gem heist becomes monk to redeem karma

A Thai gardener behind a US$20 million gem heist from a Saudi palace that has long soured relations between the two countries became a monk on Thursday in hope of redeeming his karma.

Kriangkrai Techamong stole the precious gems from the palace of a Saudi prince where he worked in 1989, triggering a feud between Thailand and Saudi Arabia dubbed the “Blue Diamond Affair” that has yet to be resolved.

Thai police later returned some of the jewels but Saudi officials claimed most were counterfeits while the whereabouts of the most precious gem – a rare 50-carat blue diamond – remains unknown.

On Thursday Kriangkrai told local media his life has been haunted by the theft that unleashed an “avalanche” of suffering on his family.

“I am confident that all my misfortunes are the result of a curse from the [blue] Saudi diamond I stole, so I’ve decided to enter the monkhood for the rest of my life to redeem my bad karma,” he told Thai Rath newspaper.

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Local TV channels showed the middle-aged man receive alms from temple-goers as he marched in an ordination ceremony with a shaved head and white robes in northern Lampang province.