Transgender monk’s meth meltdown and fall from grace in Pattaya

A monk in Pattaya, who identified as a transgender woman, experienced a drug-induced episode, leading to his removal from the monkhood after testing positive for methamphetamine.

Police in Pattaya received a report of a monk behaving erratically within the grounds of Boonyakanjanaram Temple in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri. Responding to the call, Police Lieutenant Pansan Klongsit and his team arrived promptly to investigate the situation.

Upon arrival, police found the monk, later identified as Thianthawin Dhamathepo, wandering within the temple grounds. Thianthawin, who openly acknowledged being gay, exhibited symptoms of severe hallucinations.

He was incoherent and repeatedly mentioned his desire to appear in court, claiming to possess evidence of forgery. He held several crumpled documents as proof.

When questioned by both reporters and police officers, Thianthawin admitted to using methamphetamine earlier that morning. He revealed that he had procured the drug through a connection with a temple boy, with whom he had a previous relationship.

Despite being asked to undergo a drug test, Thianthawin insisted on presenting his case only in court, leading to considerable confusion and disorder among the police.

After much persuasion, Thianthawin was eventually taken to the local police station for an initial urine test. Pol. Lt. Pansan, along with his team, faced resistance as Thianthawin continued to demand a court hearing. It took over three hours of negotiation before Thianthawin agreed to the test, which confirmed the presence of methamphetamine in his system, reported KhaoSod.

Following the positive drug test, Thianthawin was escorted to the abbot of Boonyakanjanaram Temple to formally leave the monkhood. Subsequently, legal proceedings were initiated against him.

In related news, residents in a local community are living in fear due to a man experiencing severe drug-induced hallucinations, who has been causing disturbances and property damage. Despite repeated police interventions, the issue remains unresolved as hospitals refuse to admit him.