Temple’s Holy Men Turn Drug Addicts in Thailand

All monks of a Buddhist temple in Central Thailand were found to be using illegal drugs. These holy men were sent to a health clinic for drug rehabilitation. Because of it, the temple has no monks on its premises now.

This Buddhist temple in Bung Sam Phan district under the Phetchabun province of Thailand had four monks including an abbot. On Monday during a raid by district authorities, all these monks tested positive for methamphetamine consumption, reported AFP.

All these monks were defrocked and sent to a rehabilitation center for de-addiction.

As the temple no more has any holy men, the local villagers visiting the temple are a worried lot. Usually, visitors to the temple offer food to the monks as a ritual.

Authorities have promised to send a batch of new monks to the temple so that the tradition lives on.

Methamphetamine, the drug that was consumed by the monks of the temple sells for around 20 baht (Rs 45) on the streets of Thailand. According to a UN report this drug reaches there from Myanmar.