Monk-ey business: Selfie scandal forces Thai monk to step down
A senior monk from Khon Kaen province has resigned after a scandalous selfie with a woman surfaced, bringing shame on the religious community.
The monk, whose photo authenticity was confirmed, has been compelled to leave the monkhood within a week’s time.
The drama unfolded in a meeting at Wat Ban Lan in Ban Phai district, where the monastic committee, including Pharakhru Pariyattisarnwisut Chanruang, the abbot of Wat Sriboonruang and chief monk of Ban Phai district, gathered alongside village leaders and the Khon Kaen provincial Buddhist office.
The gathering focused on the leaked image of the abbot with a woman in a resort room, leading to a decision marking the end of his monastic life.
Pharakhru Pariyattisarnwisut Chanruang elaborated on the proceedings, referencing the second precept of Buddhist law, which suggests that being alone with someone in a private space can constitute an offence if the accusation holds water.
Although the incident was classified as a minor offence known as sanghadisesa, with no evidence of sexual misconduct, the implications were significant enough to force the abbot’s departure.
Despite the abbot’s admission that the photo was taken three years ago, and his acquaintance with the woman stretches back four years, contact has supposedly been eradicated since then. Mystery shrouds the leak’s origins, as the investigation stands solely on his confession and the infamous snapshot.
The Buddhist council’s ruling remains firm: the abbot must vacate Ban Phai district due to the sanghadisesa infraction.
Although the door remains ajar for potential loftier charges, should additional evidence arise, the immediate impact is a significant blow to public trust in the institution.
Dressed in casual attire, a grey T-shirt and black sweatpants, the abbot discreetly exited the temple post-decision, his eyes betraying the signs of emotional distress.
Opting for silence, he dodged media inquiries, retreating into a four-door pickup truck without uttering a word.
Latest Thailand News
