In Penang, a tip-off by the Royal Thai Consulate-General has led to the arrest of bogus Thai monks, said to be part of a syndicate that collects cash from the public for personal use instead of for religious or charitable purposes. Banners has been put up in various places to warn the public of such monks. In Jelutong market many years ago, I remember meeting one such monk but that probably was a local one acting on his own. Bogus monks are not something new and they are not from Thailand alone. Genuine monks live a strict life according to the Vinaya code, a set of over 200 major and minor disciplinary precepts. I heard they are not supposed to handle money and any collection of money done by them would make them suspects. They do go out on alms round to collect food but that was usually only in the early morning. They eat only once a day before noon; after which they are supposed to abstain from eating. One most probably does not have to know about Buddhism to be able to identify a bogus Buddhist monk.
Are these bogus monks? Can Buddhist monks drink alcohol and indulge in sexual or gambling activities?
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