Story By: Simon Glover, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report
These photos of a top monk in bed with a woman while wearing his religious robes at a Buddhist temple in Cambodia have sparked a probe after they were posted on Facebook.
The Ministry of Religions and Cults in Cambodia launched the investigation after the pictures of the Buddhist monk with the woman sparked outrage.
The monk has been named as Chief Monk Van Vanny, the head of the Pochentong Pagoda, a Buddhist temple in the Cambodian capital city of Phnom Penh.
Pictures Credit: AsiaWire
Phnom Penh is a popular destination for backpackers visiting South East Asia.
The name of the woman has not been made public. The photographs showing them in bed together were allegedly taken at the temple.
Ministry spokesman Seng Somony said: “We have visited the location but some aspects of the issue are still unclear.”
Chief Monk Vanny and the woman had been invited for questioning to explain the photographs and both had claimed the pictures were fake.
Tep Kongkea, director of the Municipal Department of Religions and Cults, said the photographs could have been created from separate pictures of the pair on Photoshop.
However, he added that he did not know of any reason why anybody would do such a thing.
Mr Kongkea said the pair claimed not to have done anything that would have violated the monkhood.
He added: “They say they are just edited photos and she and the monk have never had a sexual relationship.”
Mr Kongkea said that if the photographs had been edited and the culprit was identified, they would face legal action over the damage caused to the monk and to Buddhism generally.
Sexual intercourse is one of four offences against Buddhism, along with murder, theft and falsely claiming special powers, that can lead to the immediate defrocking of a monk.
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