Pailin: After a novice monk lost a cellphone, police were called to a Pailin pagoda, but were allegedly insulted by a monk who underwent a urine test for drugs.
The incident took place at 10:15 am on November 29, 2019 at Wat Pham Rim/ Wat Pahi located in the village of Pahi Tbong, Sangkat Pailin, Pailin City
Pailin police chief Yem Sarith said a suspect, named Chouuy Piseth, 20, from Svay Por commune, Ratanak district, Battambang was taken in for questioning.
He added that after receiving a complaint about the missing phone, police arrived at the pagoda and some monks used inappropriate words and became abusive to officers. Police went to the room of the monk accused of stealing the cellphone, to search his room and suspected the monk had been taking drugs.
A urine test prove this to be correct and the pagoda committee, along with the Provincial Department of Cult and Religion, decided to defrock the monk and handed him over over to authorities.
The 15 year old monk who had lost his phone had it returned. KOHSANTEPHEAP
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