Thailand: Buddhist temple evacuated after monks test positive for drugs

A small one Buddhist temple in Thailand was left without monks after all of them were removed after testing positive for drugs, local officials said in a news release. BBC.

According to the BBC report, four monks, including the abbot, tested positive for the virus methamphetamine in the northern province of Phetchabun, an official told AFP news agency. Boonlert Thintapthai said the monks were then taken to a clinic to undergo drug addiction treatment. drugs.

The control took place in the middle of a national campaign to combat drug trafficking.

The monks they were reportedly removed from the temple after police conducted a urine test on Monday, in which all four men tested positive. Officials did not say what had raised police suspicions about the monks at the particular temple.

Mr Thintapthai told AFP that “the temple is now empty of monks and nearby villagers are worried that they cannot practice the Buddhist practice where believers gain a protective power through good deeds – in this case giving food to the monks .

However, Mr Thintapthai said district officials had sought the help of the local head of the monks, who promised to transfer some young monks to the temple in Bung Sam Phan district in an effort to address the concerns of the faithful.

In recent years, methamphetamine has become a major issue in Thailand, with seizures of the drug set to reach an all-time high in 2021, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

The country is a major transit point for methamphetamine. The drugs enter the country from Myanmar, the world’s largest producer of methamphetamine, via Laos, the BBC reports. The pills are then sold on the streets for around 50 baht (£0.47).

Last month, Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha decided to crack down on drugs after Ex-cop fired for meth possession kills 38 in daycare shooting.