Six Cambodian monks were arrested on charges of illegally entering Thailand during a raid of makeshift shelters in a Banglamung District forest.
About 50 soldiers were dispatched to the Lamao forest Nov. 19 after reports that a number of illegal aliens were residing there. Soldiers entering the area found a number of permanent structures and residents scattered in all directions.
Only five of the six Cambodian monks captured had passports and only four had their Khmer birth certificates. All were in the country illegally, due to expired passports for visas.
Police arrested six Cambodian monks on charges of illegally entering Thailand.
The monks were taken to Suthawas Temple where the abbot and Banglamung Monks Committee chairman Thummasarn defrocked the six and turned them over to police.
They were then remanded to immigration officials who prepared to deport them.
