Gardener behind $20m gem heist becomes monk

A Thai gardener behind a $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.