In the heart of Bangkok, two American gold miners, Mike Fordo and Spencer Donnelly, are devising a plan to steal a golden Buddha statue worth 250 million Dollars from a Buddhist temple. The complex plan involves collaboration with Joe Richmond, a university lecturer specializing in East Asian studies, and Pooniya, his friend and secretary of the Supreme Monks’ Council, while navigating cultural barriers, potential betrayals and intrigues. The four – Pooniya, Joe, and gold miners Mike and Spencer – weave a fascinating heist plot that challenges moral boundaries and explores the rich tapestry of Thai culture and history, alongside sensory-rich descriptions of contemporary Thailand.
In the heart of Bangkok stands a Buddhist temple in the shape of a three-story pagoda. In the hall on the third floor is a magnificent Buddha statue made of 5.5 tons of gold, worth 250 million Dollars.
Mike Purdue and Spencer Donnelly, two American gold miners, arrive in Thailand with an ambitious plan to steal the statue. An interesting background connects them: Mike, who was caught 5 years ago for counterfeiting gold bars and served three years in prison at the Crowley facility in Colorado, met Joe Richmond there – a lecturer at the University of Denver for East Asian Studies, who was hired to teach prisoners Buddhism in order to rehabilitate them.
The challenge is extremely complex: How to steal such a heavy and large statue in the heart of a city of 10 million inhabitants, locked in a hall on the third floor, surrounded by security cameras 24/7 and secured by temple guards? The danger is also great due to the great religious and cultural value of the statue, whose theft would cause an international scandal.
Mike, who studied Buddhism with Joe Richmond, finds inspiration in the Buddhist principle “Thou shalt not covet.” That is, the entire statue does not have to be robbed, but only its contents must be “mined.” The plan involves collaborating with the secretary of the Thai Buddhist Council, under the Cover story of producing a documentary videos about Buddhism and Thai culture.
However, Mike and Spencer have serious suspicions about Joe and the secretary’s true intentions. They fear that they might “handle” them after the robbery and leave them in a Thai prison, keeping all the loot for themselves.
The plot develops on two fascinating levels: the historical level follows the journey of the golden statue over a thousand years, from the moment of its discovery in the ancient kingdom of Sukhothai to its arrival at the Wat Tramit temple in Bangkok. The second layer focuses on the robbery itself, combining sensual and colorful descriptions of modern Thailand – from the exotic cuisine to fascinating sites to the local way of life.
The book “The Vanished Gold Line heist” promises to reveal to readers a fascinating and suspenseful story, which will keep them glued to the book from the beginning to the surprising end. The main questions – how will the robbery be carried out? Will the robbers succeed in outsmarting their partners? – promise an unforgettable reading experience.
