Controversial Nonthaburi monk defrocked for multiple misconducts

Police volunteers detained a controversial monk accused of violating monastic conduct, selling alms, and residing in a young woman’s home within an Islamic community. The incident led to a heated confrontation with local religious leaders.

At 8am yesterday, September 8, a team consisting of four senior monks, along with Bang Bua Thong police volunteers, arrived at the morning market in front of Bua Thong Village in Bang Bua Thong, Nonthaburi.

They were responding to complaints about the misconduct of a monk who had been regularly collecting alms in front of a food stall and engaging in confrontations with other monks.

During the investigation, it was discovered that the monk had been evicted from his previous residence and had rented a room in an Islamic community, without returning to a temple for over a year. Frustrated locals reported his presence due to his disruptive behaviour.

Upon arrival, the officials found the monk, later identified as 69 year old Somchai, collecting alms in front of a breakfast stall. When asked to accompany them to Lam Pho Temple for questioning, Somchai resisted and argued that his actions were minor misdemeanours. He insisted he was merely a sick monk collecting alms to sustain himself and had not committed any serious wrongdoing.

Police volunteers informed Somchai that he had been under surveillance for several days, and there was clear evidence of his misconduct. This revelation prompted him to agree to meet with the district’s chief monk.

Continued protests

At Lam Pho Temple, tensions escalated as Somchai continued to protest, claiming that the monastic figures had no right to defrock him since he possessed official certification from the district chief in Lat Bua Luang, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya.

He further argued that he was suffering from a mystical illness that modern hospitals could not treat, necessitating his stay in the Islamic community to seek alternative healing.

Somchai justified distributing the alms he received, stating his compassionate nature compelled him to share the offerings with others. However, the senior monks presented evidence of multiple violations of monastic discipline, including selling alms to vendors, failing to reside in a temple for extended periods, and accepting monetary donations exclusively.

Additionally, Somchai had a history of physical altercations with monks at Lat Bua Luang and Wat Mai Khlong Chuek temples, leading to his expulsion. While he would not face charges for impersonating a monk immediately, any future attempts to don monastic robes without proper ordination would result in legal action.

During the defrocking process, Somchai vehemently resisted, arguing and refusing to cooperate. Following the decision to defrock him, Bang Bua Thong police and volunteers struggled to remove Somchai’s robes, as he continued to resist. It took several officers to finally strip him of his monastic attire.

Somchai was then taken into police custody, and the incident was recorded to document his defrocking due to inappropriate conduct.

Residing with women

Chawalit Choeinam, a Bang Bua Thong police volunteer, revealed that Somchai often returned to a house with two young women in the Islamic community after collecting alms.

Chawalit added that the monk not only sold the food he received but also had a history of violent behaviour with other monks, leading to his expulsion from multiple temples. Despite his claims of illness, Somchai regularly travelled 30 kilometres from Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya to Bang Bua Thong.