December 19, 2004
Source: The Scotsman
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3906497
On December 19, 2004 The Scotsman reported, "Cigarette packs in Thailand may soon carry more than the usual health warnings, with an edict admonishing the public not to give Buddhist monks a smoke. The new label, proposed by the head of Thailand’s National Buddhism Office, will read: 'Donating cigarettes to monks is a sin.' Chakratham Thammasak told the Thai News Agency that he’ll ask the public health ministry to go ahead with the change. In Thailand, like most Buddhist countries, the public donates food and money to monks, but smoking among the Buddhist clergy is generally frowned upon."