A mix of five real and fake Cambodian monks were arrested and defrocked in Rayong for illegally entering Thailand and soliciting only cash for alms.
Klaeng District Officer Kanjarat Eidthongsai led police to Bothong Temple Oct. 7 where they found a dormitory adorned with Khmer writing listing the names of cash donors. More than 10 Khmer monks fled the scene, but five were arrested.
Only two turned out to be real Buddhist priests, identified only as Aon, 34, and Mern. They told police they didn’t have their monk licenses and couldn’t remember the name of the Cambodian temple where they were ordained because they had been living at Bothong Temple for many years.
They worked Samyan Market daily, taking only cash as alms, earning about 300 baht a day. Three other unordained Cambodians were posing as monks, doing the same. They were caught when Thai shoppers were offended by the cash-only demand.
Police drug-tested the five and two tested positive for methamphetamine use. The monks confessed they used some of their alms money to buy drugs.
All were brought before Klaeng District deputy dean of monks Phra Khru Kasemattakorn, who defrocked them. The men were then arrested and turned over to immigration police, who charged with illegal entry into the country and prepared them for deportation.
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