Bad monk

A Kampong Cham pagoda chief was arrested and subsequently defrocked after he was caught singing, drinking and cavorting with women at a karaoke club last night.

Chhay Run, 40, was arrested while leaving the club in Kampong Cham town’s Veal Vong commune, after local villagers reported his less-than-holy behaviour, central justice office deputy Chan Hor said. He added that the monk often hired a luxury car for his partying.

The chief of Ten Knong Pagoda in the province’s Chamkar Leu district was caught contravening several rules of monastic discipline, he said. “He and his driver sang karaoke, drank five cans of beer and were sitting with four entertainment ladies.”

Though police initially arrested the pagoda chief, responsibility for misbehaving monks lies with the Ministry of Cults and Religion if no laws are breached, said Sok Sam Oeun, executive director of the Cambodia Defenders Project.

“If he didn’t break a criminal law,” police should not arrest him, he said.