The local authorities informed that, a small Buddhist temple in Thailand is now without any monks after they were all expelled for failing drug tests.
In the northern province of Phetchabun, four monks, including the abbot, tested positive for methamphetamine, an official told news agency AFP.
The monks were then taken to a medical facility for drug rehabilitation, said Boonlert Thintapthai.
The raid occurs in the midst of a nationwide effort to combat narcotics trafficking.
According to reports, the monks were expelled from the monastery after all four men failed urine tests that were conducted by the police on Monday. The reason the temple was brought to the police’s attention was not disclosed by officials.
Giving food to monks is a kind of merit-making, an important Buddhist practise where worshipers obtain a protecting energy through good deeds.
However, Mr. Thintapthai claimed that local monastic chief had been consulted by regional officials, who had pledged to send some new monks to the temple in the Bung Sam Phan area in an effort to allay the anxieties of devotees.
The UN’s Office on Drugs and Crime reports, methamphetamine has grown to be a significant problem in Thailand in recent years, with seizures of the substance hitting an all-time high in 2021.
Post Your Comments