Several British newspapers have nevertheless scented enough Buddhism (and monkishness) in the story to be covering the hearings in Scotland.

Santhong, born in Thailand and now living in Edinburgh, is suing Anong Yukitan, born in Thailand and now living in London, because she was driving a bunch of monks from her city to Santhong’s city on Christmas Eve 2012 and had a crash.

Anong admits being liable for losing control of the car but doesn’t think she should have to pay Santhong 250,000 pounds (Bt12.9 million). Santhong thinks she does because now he can’t sit down to do sitting meditation anymore. And that means he can’t teach people to do sitting meditation anymore, so he’s losing income.

The small matter of the three monks riding in the back seat being killed seems to have no bearing on their dispute. Nor does the 25 years Santhong spent as a monk, during which he patently failed to learn the wisdom of non-attachment.

Santhong – who shed the robes to further his academic studies – says he was asleep at the time of the crash and just kept on sleeping until he woke up in hospital with various fractures and head injuries.

He says the accident disrupted his PhD studies and – since he’s unable to sit, stand or walk for long and can’t bend or lift heavy items – he’s lost earnings as a translator and interpreter and for work in the prison service. He taught meditation to prisoners. He was used to sitting for up to three hours at a time.

Somewhere the Buddha is wincing along with him, but for other reasons.

Royal baby adds to GNH

Bhutan’s queen – Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema – gave birth to a son on Friday, presumably much to the delight of her husband, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who’s so much admired in Thailand. And the infant boy has already contributed to the country’s famed “Gross National Happiness” index in more ways than one.

Presumably the queen chose to do so with the aid of an epidural injection and presumably she appreciated the painless method because now epidurals are being offered to all expectant mums in Bhutan for free. We say “presumably” a lot because the Bhutan newspaper Kuensel is unclear on the details, presumably out of deference to the monarchy.

What is clear is that two doctors and two nurses from Bhutan are now in Bangkok being trained to administer epidural labour analgesia, which relieves pain during delivery. Basically it’s a shot in the lower spine that deadens the nerves long enough for baby to slip out without infuriating the mum right off the bat.

Thimphu National Referral Hospital medical superintendent Dr Gosar Pemba says the epidural analgesia is “a gift from Queen Jetsun Pema”, according to Kuensel, and “its introduction in the country may coincide with the birth of the royal couple’s firstborn”.

Epidural analgesia isn’t actually new to Bhutan, but until now it’s only been administered on request and in cases where childbirth was proving unusually difficult.