Chaiyaphum: Local authorities conducted a search of the monks' living quarters at a temple in Nong Phon Ngam Subdistrict, Kaset Sombun District, where they discovered three monks with purple urine, leading to their immediate defrocking.
According to Thai News Agency, the search was initiated following a tip-off from villagers about suspicious behavior by a monk at the temple. Administrative officials raided the monk's living quarters, uncovering cluttered rooms filled with instant noodle cups. The monk admitted to having just eaten at 3 PM, with empty water bottles and unopened instant noodle packets scattered around.
Authorities conducted urine tests on all six monks residing at the temple. The results revealed that three junior monks tested positive for narcotics, while the abbot and two other monks tested negative. The three monks who tested positive confessed to drug use over several weeks. They were subsequently taken to the head of the Nong Phon Ngam sub-district monastic council for rehabilitation. Despite the disorderly state of the living quarters, no drugs or other illegal items were discovered during the search.