Four Monks Arrested for Meth Use at Dech Udom Temple
Dech Udom district officials raided Wat Chi Muang after receiving complaints about drug use by monks. Four monks, ordained between one and six years, tested positive for methamphetamine and were found with pills in their quarters. They confessed to using alms money from relatives to jointly order the drugs, which were delivered to the temple; all four have been charged with possession of a Category 1 narcotic and handed over to police.
On November 12, 2026, Dech Udom District Chief Jakraphong Phanphot ordered Deputy District Chief for Security Ra-yat Ra-ngan to lead members of the Dech Udom District 5 Territorial Defense Volunteer Corps in executing the operation "Alleviate Suffering, Promote Well-being, Protect Peace, Eradicate Drugs, Conquer Evil." The special administrative task force acted on villagers' complaints about monks at a temple in Mueang Dech subdistrict allegedly involved with drugs.
Officials searched the monks' quarters and found: - Phra Top, ordained 6 years: one meth pill found, urine test positive. - Phra Jo, ordained 5 years: one meth pill found on his person, urine test positive. - Phra Toei, ordained 3 years: one meth pill found, urine test positive. - Phra Tao, ordained 1 year: urine test positive.
All four monks admitted they used money received from relatives' alms, pooled it together, and ordered methamphetamine. A courier would drop the drugs at the temple entrance, and the monks would divide and consume them until authorities discovered the contraband.
The four monks were taken into custody, charged with possession of a Category 1 narcotic (methamphetamine) for personal use, and transferred to Dech Udom Provincial Police Station for further legal proceedings.
