Four Monks Arrested for Drugs, Lewdness in Temple
Police allegedly found drugs, pornography, and sex toys in a Thai temple, leading to the arrest and defrocking of four Buddhist monks.
Apr 22, 2026 0
Four monks face allegations of drug possession and sexual paraphernalia in a temple raid.
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Four Buddhist monks in Thailand are at the center of a scandal. According to media reports, their temple allegedly contained an arsenal of prohibited items: from drugs and pornography to sex toys and lists with contact information for call girls.
The monks were arrested, defrocked, and expelled from the Buddhist order.
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The search of Phrom Sunthon monastery in Chonburi province was prompted by complaints from locals. They reported gunfire and drug use on the temple grounds. During the raid, police discovered about $2,800 in cash, a pistol, a list of local prostitutes, a DVD player with a pornographic film, and a vacuum pump for penile enlargement. Three monks also allegedly tested positive for methamphetamine.
In 2024, a separate monk was detained in a similar temple drug bust.
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The monks — 35-year-old Phra Supachai Jantawong, 45-year-old Phra Wirat Mukdasanit, 59-year-old Phra Thanapol Maison, and the abbot Phra Photisang Taebmuan — were immediately arrested, defrocked, and expelled from the religion. One of the detainees tried to justify himself, claiming he had been taking methamphetamine for about three years to «cope with pain from diabetes and high blood pressure.» «It’s to relieve nerve pain,» the monk insisted. «When the pain becomes unbearable, I take such pills. But only in the most severe cases.»
Police confiscated a vacuum pump and other contraband from the temple.
Colonel Saksilp Kamnoedsin of the Chonburi Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) told local media that the three monks who tested positive for drugs would be sent to police and relevant agencies for rehabilitation. The abbot will be handed over to police for questioning and then deported to his country of origin.
A monk in a separate incident was found with condoms, Viagra, and other drugs.
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This is not the first such incident in Thailand, where over 93% of the population practices Buddhism. In January 2024, a 54-year-old monk named Thawee was detained in Maha Sarakham province. He allegedly had drugs, 40 condoms, Viagra, and a vacuum pump. Frightened locals complained that the monk’s strange behavior disrupted religious ceremonies and endangered parishioners, especially children. Thawee tried to explain the finds, claiming he used condoms as plant pots, and Viagra and the pump to treat an enlarged prostate and urination problems. He was also expelled from the monkhood and sent for rehabilitation.
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