Russians Break Into Temple, Dress As Monks

MAE HONG SON — Two Russians have been arrested for allegedly breaking into a temple in northern Thailand and dressing as Buddhist monks, police in Mae Hong Son province say.

Police received calls for help from the abbot of Wat Mae Yen temple in Pai district at around 7 am this morning. Upon arriving at the scene, officers encountered two foreign men dressed as monks sitting inside a chapel with knives on their laps.

After an hour of negotiation, the pair surrendered to police and were taken to Pai Police Station for interrogation.

Pol.Col. Worapol Polmanee, superintendent of Pai Police Station, identified the two men as Russian nationals. He said urine tests have established that the two men were under the influence of narcotics.