Thailand's Tainted Robes | Misbehaving Monks | 101 East

As scandals involving misbehaving monks rock the nation, 101 East examines if Thailand can save its moral soul. Nehn Kham was once a hugely popular monk preaching in Thailand's poor northeast region. Today, he is an international fugitive with a $32m fortune that he amassed through fraud. Buddhists around the world were shocked when footage emerged of the monk on a private plane, clutching a Louis Vuitton bag and fidgeting with high-end gadgets. His extravagance put him atop a long list of misbehaving monks making headlines in Thailand for fist fights, smuggling drugs, selling guns, hiding pornography and more. In response, Thailand's military junta has set up a 24-hour hotline for the public to report rule-breaking monks. But the junta is also proposing new laws to criminalise breaking any Buddhist rule - a move some fear is an over-reaction that would threaten religious freedom. 101 East exclusively reveals where Thailand's infamous jet-setting monk has been hiding, and meets those on a mission to save the country's moral soul. More from 101 East on: YouTube - http://aje.io/101eastYouTube Facebook -   / 101east   Twitter -   / aj101east   Instagram -   / aj101east   Website - http://aljazeera.com/101east #AlJazeeraEnglish #Thailand #Monk