Lovestruck Buddhist monks drop their vows

October 26, 2004

Phnom Penh - Two Buddhist monks abandoned their vows after they fell in love with a pair of teenage girls who sold beer across from their temple in central Cambodia, a newspaper reported on Monday.

The two monks - Nang Pong and Vom Vong, both 19 - gave up their monastic lives on Thursday after the chief monk at their temple accused them of secretly courting the girls in violation of Buddhist precepts, The Cambodia Daily reported.

The teenage girls earlier had been told to leave the monks alone, deputy district police chief Yung Sam was quoted as saying.

Ninety percent of Cambodia's 13 million people are Buddhist. About 60 000 monks live in more than 4,000 pagodas across the country.

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