Intoxicated Monk Arrested for Hitchhiking and Extorting Donation in Chiang Rai

[snoop1130]

 

A peculiar incident unfolded in Chiang Rai yesterday as a monk, noticeably intoxicated, found himself on the wrong side of the law. The 44-year-old was arrested after coercing a donation from a young motorist and exhibiting unsettling manners. The unusual episode prompts a broader discourse on propriety, religion, and the law.

 

The events began to stir when Nichawee, a 20-year-old resident of Thung Ko in Chiang Rai, drove down to a tea plantation in Sri Kham. En route, she encountered a hitchhiking monk along the roadside. Obliging to his request for a lift, Nichawee soon discerned a pungent alcohol smell from the monk, invoking suspicion.

 

The situation took an unusual turn as the monk, failing to specify a clear destination, asked Nichawee to stop by another monk on their way. To add to the conundrum, he then requested a donation of 790 baht (£17) under the pretence of replacing a damaged pilgrimage umbrella. Constrained by her financial capacity, Nichawee handed over 500 baht before proceeding on her journey.

 

Disturbed by the unsettling experience, she reported the incident to the Mae Chan Police Station.

 

 

Responding to Nichawee's distress call, officers from the Pha Mieng checkpoint set out to pinpoint the monk on the Mae Salong Nai public road. They found Areek Khuntiwaro, noticeably inebriated, struggling to maintain coherence. The alcohol stench was evident, thereby validating the young motorist's concern.

 

Having admitted to consuming three bottles of Phaya Nak, a popular alcoholic beverage, Areek was escorted to Wat Pa Sang Luang for defrocking before being formally arrested and transferred to the Mae Chan Police Station for legal action.

 

This peculiar episode underscores the unusual intersection of spirituality, morality, and the law. Concerns over religious propriety have heightened, with a monk's alcoholic hitchhiking trip leading to an arrest, an experience that a Chiang Rai motorist will not forget anytime soon.

 

File photo for reference only

 

-- 2024-11-19