In Chiang Rai, monk novices receive condoms as an offering

Teen novice monks in northern Thailand’s Chiang Rai province received some rather unholy offerings in their alms bowls, according to another monk at their temple. The monk posted on Facebook last week saying that the novices found condoms in their alms bowls. The monk, Phra Chingchai, believes someone might have snuck the condoms in the bowls because there are many negative stories about monks in the news right now.

The two novices, reported to be around 15 years old, said a man might have slipped the condoms into their alms bowls in front of a pawn shop in Chiang Rai’s Mueang district. They said they didn’t recognise the man who might have done it. Phra Chingchai said the incident might have been an accident if the man mistook the condoms as sachets of tomato or chili sauce. But he also acknowledged that it could have been on purpose, following highly publicised scandals involving monks in the news.

Reports of monks taking drugs, carrying methamphetamine, drinking, drunk driving, money laundering, stealing, sniffing women’s undergarments, committing murder and rendezvousing with women are common headlines in the kingdom.

Earlier this week, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha called out Thai monks about “rule breaking” following several scandals. Last month, a monk was found passed out on the floor with his private parts on show at his temple after he got drunk to bring in the Thai New Year. Refraining from drinking alcohol, or refraining from intoxication of any kind, is one of the 227 rules Buddhist monks in Thailand are expected to follow. In March, a monk was caught stealing women’s underwear.

in his Facebook post, Phra Chingchai said the person who slipped the novices condoms might have “believed in news too much”.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World