Chonburi monk arrested and defrocked for allegedly using illegal drugs

PHOTO: Wisarn Sangjaroen / Top News

Chonburi-

  A 57-year-old monk has been arrested and defrocked for allegedly taking illegal drugs at a temple in the Nong Yai district.

The Nong Yai Police raided a temple in the Nong Yai sub-district earlier this week following a tip from concerned citizens. Police entered the monk’s dwelling to find Monk Choochart Somsakunmontree, 57. Police reportedly found six methamphetamine pills and a bag of crystal methamphetamine.

The arrest came after police received a tip-off from locals that were being concerned over a monk who had taken illegal drugs. Monk Choochart later admitted to police he bought these drugs for himself but denied selling them or causing problems for others. According to Choochart, the drugs helped him meditate and reach higher planes of thinking, despite being banned by Buddhist regulations.

Monk Choochart was ordered to leave the Buddhist monkhood by the abbot of the temple and defrocked before being taken to the Nong Yai Police Station for further legal action and to determine where he purchased the drugs from.

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Goongnang Suksawat
Goong Nang is a News Translator who has worked professionally for multiple news organizations in Thailand for many years and has worked with The Pattaya News for five years. Specializes primarily in local news for Phuket, Pattaya, and also some national news, with emphasis on translation between Thai to English and working as an intermediary between reporters and English-speaking writers. Originally from Nakhon Si Thammarat, but lives in Phuket and Krabi except when commuting between the three.