Cambodia: Monks defrocked after karaoke, drinking session

By Lauren Crothers

PHNOM PENH

Four Cambodian Buddhist monks have been defrocked after sneaking from their pagoda and being caught partying at a karaoke parlor.

The Cambodia Daily said Monday that the men -  from Kompong Cham province, in the country's east - included two chief monks and two novices. 

They had all allegedly changed out of their robes and into civilian attire before heading into the club, leaving the clothes and a bag of beer in a car park outside.

The Phnom Penh Post said suspicions were aroused because all four had shaven heads—a style only sported by members of the clergy or sons after a parent has passed away.

It added that when police burst into the room, the monks were “singing songs and hugging women.” 

Hugging women is particularly forbidden by the monkhood, as monks are not supposed to have any physical contact with members of the opposite sex.

The Daily quoted police as saying that the two novices were immediately arrested, while the two chief monks absconded and ran into a nearby forest, where they were eventually apprehended.

Although their religion defines that they should live chastely—monks typically rise very early, spend the day receiving alms and praying, before going to their rooms before 9p.m. - that hasn’t stopped some from straying.

In June 2014, the chief monk of a pagoda in Kandal province was arrested after getting drunk and crashing an SUV he was driving while wearing military police clothes over his saffron robes, while in April 2013, another monk from Kompong Cham was defrocked for going to a karaoke parlor, drinking beer and singing with women.

 Two years earlier an elderly monk in Pailin province was defrocked after he molested a sleeping woman at a party, while 11 monks in Siem Reap province also had their robes confiscated for staying up all night drinking gin.