A Buddhist temple in Thailand no longer has any monks after all of them failed drug tests and were defrocked.
Four monks, including an abbot, tested positive for methamphetamine at a temple in Phetchabun province's Bung Sam Phan District, AFP reported.
District official Boonlert Thintaptahi told AFP: "The temple is now empty of monks and nearby villagers are concerned they cannot do any merit-making."
The monks were sent to a health clinic to undergo drug rehabilitation.
Thintaptahi told AFP more monks would be sent to the temple, so villagers can practice their religious obligations.
In Thailand, methamphetamine pills known as Yaba are sold on the street for less than ฿20 (NZ$0.91).
"Meth and particularly Yaba can be easily found in every corner of [Thailand] — supply is up everywhere, and at this point, a tablet is cheaper than a beer," United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's (UNODC) Jeremy Douglas told the Thai Inquirer.
