A Buddhist temple in Thailand has been left without any monks after they tested positive for methamphetamine, according to reports.
Four monks, including the abbot, at a temple in Phetchabun province’s Bung Sam Phan district, tested positive for the drug on Monday.
Thai Buddhist monks in temple test positive for meth: report https://t.co/KNQij0cSPx
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“The temple is now empty of monks and nearby villagers are concerned they cannot do any merit-making,” said district official Boonlert Thintapthai, adding that backup monks have been sent to the temple to continue its operation in the days ahead.
Merit-making is the Buddhist practice of worshippers donating food to monks as a good deed. The disgraced monks have since been sent to drug rehabilitation.
Thailand is a major crossroads for methamphetamine trafficking coming in from neighboring Myanmar, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
“Criminal organizations have adapted and innovated, and it is impossible for countries to address transnational crime alone.” UNODC Regional Representative Jeremy Douglas said in May. “In the last two years, methamphetamine seizures in Southeast Asia have increased from 140 tons to close to 170 tons, and this trend is continuing — instability in the Golden Triangle and Shan State are contributing, and Thailand and Lao PDR need support for border control.”
Last October, 37 people were killed after a former police officer who was dismissed over methamphetamine possession opened fire at a nursery. Among those slain in the rampage were 23 children.
“After inspecting the crime scene, we found that the perpetrator tried to break in and he mainly used a knife to commit the crime by killing a number of small children,” said Police Chief Damrongsak Kittiprapat.
Following the incident, Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha declared war on the drug and ordered government registrars to revoke the gun licenses of registered owners who had reportedly behaved in a way that “threatens society” and “creates chaos or causes unrest.”
“People allowed to have guns will need to be in good psychological condition, with no history of aggressive behavior,” Prayuth said. “For government staff that are involved, we will impose the utmost penalties against them. For drug addicts, the government will search for them and bring them out for rehabilitation.”
