Rogue monks defrocked after temple-‘tech raid

NAKHON SRI THAMMARAT: Places of worship are not generally considered the best places to swig booze and get down to some bangin’ dance tracks.

However, three young monks in Nakhon’s Wat Suan Pan turned their dormitory cell into a makeshift disco.

News of the temple ‘tech came when neighbors told police that they had seen some monks leading a number of young girls into the wat in the early hours of January 7.

Pol Lt Col Somchai Muaydee, a Crime Suppression Inspector at Nakhon Sri Thammarat Muang District Police Station, took the call and made for the temple accompanied by the local truancy officer.

The inspectors found that a funeral was being held at Wat Suan Pan that night. However, about 20 meters from the main hall of the temple, thumping techno music was coming from behind a closed door in the monks’ sleeping quarters.

Peering through a crack in the door frame, one of the inspectors espied three young monks, one tough-looking layman and three young girls.

The inspectors knocked on the door and the partygoers, thinking more of their gang had come to join the fun, let them in. Seeing the officers, the three girls dived onto the bed in a vain bid to hide while the men stumbled around, clearly drunk.

The cell was set up like a mini-karaoke bar with a multi-colored lighting rig, a sound system, a VCD player with microphone, a computer and eight X-rated movies. The officers counted 13 beer bottles, two wine coolers and a two-foot-long “Sparta” knife.

After notifying the abbot, all seven were taken to the police station for questioning. The three monks, one aged 21 and the other two 18, were defrocked immediately.

All seven were then released because their actions did not break any laws.

Two of the young temptresses, aged 15 and 18, were students at a well-known private school in Nakhon Sri Thammarat. Police called their guardians to come and collect them and the truancy officer said that their school would be notified of their actions. The third girl, 20, was released after being photographed for police records.

As for the seventh raver, Sonkrai “Tanong” Charoensap, 27, Col Somchai recognized him as a fugitive with six outstanding arrest warrants in connection with 10 robberies during the previous month.

Col Somchai said that although police could bring no charges against the three monks and three girls, he was very happy to escort Sonkrai from temple cell to jail cell.