NEWS
Thai Buddhist Temple Empty As All Monks Test Positive For Drug Abuse
A small Buddhist temple in northern Thailand has been left without monks after the entire monastery was found to have been using methamphetamine, according to local officials.
Following orders to investigate drug use in Phetchabun province, the sheriff and village headman in Bung Sam Phan subdistrict, some 150 miles north of Bangkok, poked around schools, factories and temples in search of drug addicts and dealers so they could be sent for rehabilitation.
“As a community leader, I was frightened because I never thought the monks would be addicted to drugs,” said Sungyut Namburi, the village headman. “I never thought that drugs would spread to temples.”
Monks are revered figures in Thai culture; in Bangkok’s metro system, seats are reserved for them alongside pregnant and elderly individuals. Particularly in rural areas outside Bangkok, monks are trusted advisers, often serving as counselors and role models to the community.
So it was much to Sungyut’s surprise that all four monks in one small temple tested positive for methamphetamine use when he and the sheriff paid a visit to the monastery Friday. At another small temple, two monks tested positive, he said.
But the writing was on the wall: The monks’ personality and behavior gave them away as drug users, Sungyut said. Some villagers had tipped him off, telling him to check on temples in the community.
Even the abbot — the head of the monastery, who had served as a monk for 10 years — was found to be using drugs. “When I inspected the abbot’s shelter, I was stunned because it was a mess,” Sungyut said. After the drug tests came back positive, he said, the monks confessed to using drugs. Some of them admitted to being longtime addicts.
The scandal in Phetchabun province comes amid a nationwide crackdown on drugs following a mass killing at a day-care center in October that left 38 dead, most of them children. The suspect, a former police officer, was reported to have been dismissed from the force for methamphetamine possession.
Niti Rungjaruenkij, head of the subdistrict’s administration, said the drug users in the community — including the ex-monks — were enrolled in rehabilitation Wednesday.
Sungyut noted that the monks had to leave the monkhood first, as having a monk in rehab would be “inappropriate,” he said. After they are clean from drugs, he said, they can become a monk again if they choose to do so.
But for now, “the temple is empty” without the monks, Sungyut said. He and the sheriff have discussed inviting a “good monk” from elsewhere to fill in. A few monks who heard about the scandal had also offered to stay at the temple to support the community in the interim, he said.
At first, the revelations shocked the community, Sungyut said, causing him to fear that people may lose faith. “It was very difficult for villagers” when they learned of the monks’ transgressions, he said, but they later thanked him for his efforts.
After all, “they are misbehaving monks,” he said, “and they should leave the monkhood if they can’t follow and practice the disciplines.”
The Minister for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has disclosed that the Federal Government will soon issue a directive mandating all government agencies and parastatals to accept corps members posted to them under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Olawande addressed concerns over the rejection of corps members despite the government’s recent decision to lift restrictions on their deployment to private sector organizations.
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He said, “Let them post them first, then we would tackle the rejection. In part of the memo we sent to the NYSC, we clearly stated that there is no barrier. Before now, there was a barrier that corps members could not be posted to certain places.
“Banks come and take them now. If you don’t have experience in banking, how do you want to know that you are good at accounting or whatever? This is also part of how you should learn whatever you studied.”
Olawande revealed that the ministry plans to submit a memo to President Bola Tinubu, requesting an executive order to compel all government agencies and parastatals to accept corps members assigned to them.
“It is a process; we can’t do everything at once. The one in our capacity, we have thrown it out. So, on the barrier, we are also waiting. I know about that too. We will work, and that is why teamwork is good,” the minister added.
Biztellers reports that the Federal Government on November 19, 2024, lifted a longstanding restriction that limited corps members’ postings to public sector institutions.
This policy change now permits the deployment of corps members to private organizations, including banks and oil companies, to broaden their professional exposure.
Olawande also addressed concerns about the delay in implementing the new N77,000 monthly allowance for corps members. While confirming the increase, he assured that the process is nearing completion.
“It is a process. When the government increases so and so, it will follow a process. We are in the process; very soon they will see it. It is not rocket science.
“It has been increased; nobody is saying it has not been increased. But the implementation is in process. And very soon, we are at the tip of it, it is going to start, and we will implement it perfectly,” he stated.
The minister’s remarks come as the government intensifies efforts to address challenges within the NYSC program and enhance the overall experience of corps members, ensuring their contributions to both public and private sectors are maximized.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has announced a significant drop in Nigeria’s unemployment rate, which fell to 4.3% in the second quarter of 2024, down from 5.3% in the first quarter.
The data was revealed in the Nigeria Labour Force Survey (NLFS) report for Q2 2024, released on Monday.
The report highlighted improvements across several labor market indicators.
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The labor force participation rate among the working-age population rose to 79.5% in Q2 2024, compared to 77.3% in Q1.
Similarly, the employment-to-population ratio climbed to 76.1%, an increase of 2.9 percentage points from the 73.2% recorded in the first quarter.
On a year-on-year basis, however, the employment-to-population ratio saw a slight decline from 77.1% in Q2 2023.
The NBS also noted a reduction in the combined unemployment and time-related underemployment rate, which fell to 13% in Q2 2024 from 15.3% in Q1.
Urban vs. Rural Unemployment
A closer look at the data revealed disparities in urban and rural unemployment rates.
The unemployment rate in urban areas was 5.2% in Q2 2024, nearly double the 2.8% recorded in rural areas.
Youth and Education Employment Metrics
The youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) stood at 6.5% in Q2 2024, while unemployment among individuals with secondary education was slightly higher at 7.6%.
The report also showed that 12.5% of youth were not in education, employment, or training (NEET), with a higher proportion of females than males in this category.
Informal Sector Employment
Informal employment remained dominant in the Nigerian labor market, accounting for 93% of jobs. Additionally, 3.7% of the working-age population was engaged in subsistence agriculture.
Time-Related Underemployment Declines
The time-related underemployment rate dropped to 9.2% in Q2 2024 from 10.6% in the previous quarter, marking continued progress in addressing labor underutilization.
Nigeria’s former Senate President, Abubakar Saraki has eulogised his political ally, Nigeria’s former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who attained 78 years on Monday.
The former governor of Kwara State took to his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Monday to laud the political strides of the Adamawa born political stalwart.
In his view, Atiku is “a compassionate servant of the people whose lifelong dedication to the nation’s progress and unity has earned him the admiration of Nigerians across the globe”.
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Saraki wrote, “His Excellency, Alhaji @Atiku Abubakar, stands as a compassionate servant of the people whose lifelong dedication to the nation’s progress and unity has earned him the admiration of Nigerians across the globe.
“As he marks his 78th birthday today, my family and I join all Nigerians in extending our warmest wishes for a very happy birthday. We pray that Almighty Allah (SWT) continues to bless him with good health, strength, and wisdom to sustain his invaluable service to our nation. Ameen.”
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