Women Causing Strife in the Monkhood (Again)
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 11:42 pm
After the recent scandal concerning a monk on social media, yet another Chief Monk is criticized for having an affair with a woman. In this case, he admits to being engaged to her, but does not want to give up his post at the pagoda. The authorities seem to be taken by surprise.
Affair jeopardises monk
20 June 2018
Baley Thmey pagoda committee head Eng Sy and 400 other locals in Takeo province’s Samrong district have accused Venerable Oum Vutha, chief monk at the pagoda, of having a love affair with a woman.
Sieng Khom, Ta Sak village chief of Chomras Pen commune, said the locals no longer wanted Vutha at the pagoda.
“We cannot let the chief monk stay in the pagoda anymore. We sent a request to officials, including the provincial office, to defrock Vutha . . . At first, he said he will leave the monkhood to get married. But after he got engaged, he refused to leave . . . If he wants a wife, he should leave the monkhood first. Don’t violate Buddhist rules,” he said.
Vutha could not be reached for comment. However, he is said to have confessed to breaking monkhood rules to the laymen and villagers, saying that he did get engaged, but the woman has only been doing chores.
Ministry of Cults and Religion spokesman Seng Somony said he has only just received information on the case.
He said if the story is true, Vutha will have to face discipline.
“Before punishment, we need to examine and collect evidence to avoid any misunderstanding. This is a strange case, it has never happened before. We will act according to the rules of the monkhood and applicable laws. We can’t let this happen again. We will work to discover the truth,” Somony said.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ ... dises-monk
Affair jeopardises monk
20 June 2018
Baley Thmey pagoda committee head Eng Sy and 400 other locals in Takeo province’s Samrong district have accused Venerable Oum Vutha, chief monk at the pagoda, of having a love affair with a woman.
Sieng Khom, Ta Sak village chief of Chomras Pen commune, said the locals no longer wanted Vutha at the pagoda.
“We cannot let the chief monk stay in the pagoda anymore. We sent a request to officials, including the provincial office, to defrock Vutha . . . At first, he said he will leave the monkhood to get married. But after he got engaged, he refused to leave . . . If he wants a wife, he should leave the monkhood first. Don’t violate Buddhist rules,” he said.
Vutha could not be reached for comment. However, he is said to have confessed to breaking monkhood rules to the laymen and villagers, saying that he did get engaged, but the woman has only been doing chores.
Ministry of Cults and Religion spokesman Seng Somony said he has only just received information on the case.
He said if the story is true, Vutha will have to face discipline.
“Before punishment, we need to examine and collect evidence to avoid any misunderstanding. This is a strange case, it has never happened before. We will act according to the rules of the monkhood and applicable laws. We can’t let this happen again. We will work to discover the truth,” Somony said.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ ... dises-monk