Thai Temple Was Left Empty After Monks Fail Drug Tests
Thai temple was left empty after monks fail drug tests and were defrocked. On Monday, November 28, 2022, four monks, including an abbot, at a temple in Phetchabun province's Bung Sam Phan district tested positive for methamphetamine.
Monks Test Positive For Drugs
According to an official, four monks, including the abbot, tested positive for methamphetamine in the northern region of Phetchabun. The monks were then taken to a health center for drug rehabilitation, according to a district official, Boonlert Thintapthai.
The raid coincides with a nationwide effort to combat drug trafficking, which has been on the rise. On Monday, the monks were allegedly taken from the temple after police administered urine tests, which all four men failed.
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Officials were unable to say what drew police attention to the temple. According to Mr. Boonlert Thintapthai, a district administrator, the temple is now devoid of monks, and the locals are concerned that they will be unable to perform merit-making rituals.
He also stated that regional officials sought the assistance of the local monastic leader, who offered to transfer some new monks to the monastery in the Bung Sam Phan district to assuage worshipers' concerns and allow them to continue their religious rituals under the supervision of these new monks.
Thailand For Methamphetamine
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Thailand is a major transit country for methamphetamine entering from Myanmar's troubled Shan state via Laos. The drugs enter the country via Laos from Myanmar, the world's largest producer of methamphetamine. Pills are sold on the street for less than 20 baht.
In recent years, authorities in Southeast Asia have made record-breaking meth seizures. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha ordered a drug crackdown last month after a former police officer who had been fired for methamphetamine possession killed 37 people during a shooting at a nursery.
Meanwhile, with restrictions lifted, Thailand has seen an unexpected surge in the number of international tourists. However, it has brought its own evil, as the island country has seen an increase in Covid-19 cases. According to Bloomberg, an average of 702 Covid patients were hospitalized per day in the week ending November 26.
According to the report, 74 people died during the period, up from 40 in the week ending November 5th. According to the Thai Health Ministry, the number of Covid patients has nearly doubled since the beginning of November.
Similar Monk Drug Incident
In 2020, a senior Buddhist monk made international headlines when he was arrested in a central Thai province for drug trafficking.
4.8 million methamphetamine pills were discovered in a minivan used by the monk and his associates during a search.
According to Union of Catholic Asian News, the luggage area was crammed with cardboard boxes containing the illegal narcotics, and officials also discovered a handgun with 14 bullets.
The monk, from the northern province of Chiang Rai, reportedly told police that he agreed to work as a courier for drug dealers in exchange for 300,000 baht.
Conclusion
It was unclear whether any drugs were also discovered in the temple. Thailand is a major transit country for methamphetamine flowing in from neighboring countries, and pills can be purchased on the street for as little as 50 cents. Nonetheless, the positive meth tests are just the latest example of Thai monks misbehaving.
About The Authors
Tyrese Griffin - Tyrese started her education in the performing arts at the prestigious Alexander Hamilton Academy in Los Angeles. She returned to civilian life after serving in the United States Army as a tracked vehicle operator, and started writing short stories and screenplays, as well as directing short films and music videos. She has published six novels, which have sold over 200,000 copies, as well as audiobooks and short stories for anthologies, and has earned several awards.
