Thai buddhist monks sent to rehab after testing positive for meth, leaving temple empty

Four Buddhist monks in Thailand have been sent to rehab after testing positive for methamphetamine, according to reports. The monks, including the abbot at a temple in Phetchabun province's Bung Sam Phan district, tested positive for the drug on Monday. The temple is now empty of monks, and nearby villagers are concerned they cannot do any merit-making. Merit-making is a Buddhist practice that involves followers donating food to monks as a good deed. Local reports have suggested that backup monks have been sent to the temple to allow people to worship.Thailand is a major transit country for methamphetamine flooding in from Myanmar's troubled Shan state via Laos. Authorities across Southeast Asia and around the globe have made record meth seizures in recent months.