Thread: Thai monks too chubby

Maybe they can step it up a bit. One seldom sees a quick monk ...

Too many monks too heavy, survey finds
The Nation July 31, 2012 1:00 am

Fortyfive per cent of Thai monks were overweight and many suffered from chronic illnesses such as septic ulcers, high blood pressure, and diabetes, a study said yesterday. As a result, researchers will distribute material for monks and laymen about healthy and clean food offerings.




The research was conducted ahead of the Buddhist Lent on 246 monks in 11 provinces by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth), Chulalongkorn University and Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University.

A further diet study involving 29 monks at four urban temples and laymen found the monks’ consumption of over two glasses of highsugared drinks in the evening could lead to overweight and diabetes, while food offerings had too much carbohydrate and too small protein. Fifty per cent of the cooked food samples from alms offerings were found to be contaminated with coliform bacteria, the study found.

Well this is one way to keep off the pounds ...

Monks busted selling amphetamines



A recently ordained monk at a prominent Sattahip temple was arrested for selling amphetamine pills to fellow monks. Police arrested three other monks testing positive for drugs. All were removed from the monkhood and will be prosecuted.

SATTAHIP – August 5, 2012 [PDN]; At 4 p.m., a drug-selling monk in a well known Sattahip temple was arrested by Pol. Lt. Naret Boonthee, investigation officer, Sattahip police station, Chonburi province.

The police officer detained monk Puripanyo or Mr. Suppachai Dechparn, 28, who confessed to a master plan of selling 25 amphetamine tablets at the parsonage where he was arrested.

Pol. Col. Chonnapat Nawalak, Superintendent, Sattahip police station, said the police had received many complaints from local people about the misbehaving monks. They said the monks were deviating from the code of monastic discipline by consuming amphetamines within the temple.

So he commanded the detection police team to coordinate with the abbot to investigate the matter. They discovered that a monk ordained only a month ago had been smuggling amphetamines to sell to other monks in the temple.

The police then set up a stakeout to observe him. On the night of August 4, a drug dealer named Mr. Tron, 30, staying at Soi Bonkai, drove a car to bring 25 amphetamine pills to the suspect monk.

Police seized the defendant and the drugs, but Mr. Tron escaped into the darkness. The police later asked the abbot to arrange for Mr. Suppachai to leave the monkhood. Later the abbot called all monks in the temple to show their sincerity by allowing the police to test their urine. Three monks had violet urine, showing drugs were in their bodies.

They were identified as monk Wattano or Mr. Krissada Klomkamhaeng, age 45; monk Thirasattho or Mr. Thanan Heangmanee, age 26; and monk Katathammo or Mr. Khajornkiert Jaturavit, age 24. All of them confessed to buying amphetamines from the defendant.

The abbot arranged for them to leave the monkhood, and sent them to the police investigation officer to prosecute with charges of consuming amphetamines.