Temple of temptations: Youths’ indecent escapades raise concerns in Buriram province

Highlighting a growing issue for one temple in Buriram province, youths have been discovered engaging in indecent activities, including consuming alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and having sex on the premises. The issue raised concerns about the sanctity of religious sites and ignited a call for the police to take action.

Buddhist monks of the respected Pa Rerai temple in Nang Rong district today voiced their dismay. They found numerous occasions where youths had discretely gathered to engage in illicit activities, including alcohol consumption, smoking, and clandestine sexual encounters within the temple’s toilet facilities.

Though shocking, the evidence left behind at the sacred site is clear. Bottles of alcoholic beverages, cigarette butts, and quite worryingly, a large number of condoms, have been discovered. The monks are left to graciously clean up the mess, Khaosod reported.

Disturbingly, this defiance is not merely confined to secretive activities. Vandalism has been discovered at multiple points across the holy site. Fragments from the remnants of detonated ping pong bombs were found scattered, coupled with graffiti defacing the temple’s small houses and various signposts, painting a dangerous picture of disrespect. Repeated warnings from the monks have seemingly fallen on deaf ears, as these activities continue unabated.

Pisan Ananto, a monk, expressed his deep frustration at the defying group of teenagers. The monk revealed their reckless behaviour extends to not only consuming alcohol and smoking cigarettes on the premises but at times to detonating ping pong bombs, showing a total disregard for the sanctity of the temple and the laws that govern such acts. Despite previous instances of police intervention and warnings, the situation remains unresolved at its core.

Adding more to the disturbing revelation, the monk divulged instances encompassing occupation of monks’ quarters and drinking alcohol without any fear, outrightly ignorant of the monks, or any other person’s presence. Aghast, he lamented that, beyond the outrageousness, they engaged in sexual intercourse within the temple’s toilets. Following such incidents, monks would find themselves responsible for cleaning up and collecting littered condoms.

Visan further pleaded for assistance and decisive action from any involved organisations or police, emphasising the urgency to curb these regular incursions by reckless youths. Beyond its inappropriate nature, allegations are raised that this behaviour is also a potential threat to the safety of the monks in this temple, including its venerable abbot.

The unabated disturbance from noisy vehicles driven around the temple compound by the same youths added fuel to the fire.