Sirichai Rattanawikol and
Mongkol Chontumdee have been defrocked and arrested for using drugs and
pornography.
Patcharapol Panrak
Two Sattahip monks were arrested and disgraced after being arrested for
using drugs and pornography.
District Chief Phawat Lertmukda and officers from the Sattahip Command
Centre for Drug Elimination arrested Sirichai Rattanawikol, 24, and Mongkol
Chontumdee, 44, June 14 at Wat Tao Than in Sattahip.
Their arrest came after police arrested two Khao Mhon drug gang members.
During their interrogation, one of the dealers’ phone rang and Sirichai was
on the other end. Police had the two dealers set up a drug buy where police
nabbed the monk for trying to buy six methamphetamine tablets for 1,800
baht.
Mongkol, his uncle, was arrested shortly after as two of the pills allegedly
were for him.
Upon questioning, Mongkol told police he’d been ordained for a year while
his nephew only donned the robes a month ago. He claimed he’d been doing
drugs and watching porn, but justified the narcotics use by saying it helped
him meditate longer, police said.
The temple’s abbot defrocked the monks before they were led off to jail.
