Late flowering lust

NAKHON SRI THAMMARAT: Police in Thung Song arrested a 73-year-old monk on September 6 after receiving a tip-off from hotel staff that he had been in a hotel room with a woman for an inappropriately long time.

Officers from Thung Song District Police Station banged on the door of the sixth-floor room at the Thai Hotel for a considerable time before eventually being let in by the occupants.

They were greeted by Phra Jitayano and Thawon Rattanarat, 63 – both wearing only bath towels. Phra Jitayano’s saffron robes were visible in the wardrobe.

Phra Jitayano, who usually stays in Songkhla Province, said he was in Thung Song for a court appearance and was merely consulting Thawon about the trial.

Hotel staff, however, said the pair had been alone in the room for a long time and were doing “inappropriate” things.

Police agreed and called the Dean of Thung Song District. Jitayano was defrocked there and then. No further action was taken and the pair were released.