CHIANG RAI – Repeated scandals involving monks in Chiang Rai Province have frustrated locals who have repeatedly reported their concerns. Despite repeated warnings, nothing seemed to change.
On Thursday, officials went to inspect a forest monastery in Chiang Rai, and they caught a woman in a room with the abbot (senior monk). The monk was wearing only his robes, and a test showed his alcohol level was over 300 milligrams. He claimed the breathalyzer was faulty.
The local monastic council made it clear that removal from the order was the only option.
On 4 September 2025, the monastic council, district authorities, and police from Mae Lao station in Chiang Rai joined forces to check a forest temple in Dong Mada, Mae Lao district of Chiang Rai.
Residents had raised the alarm many times about the abbot having women stay in his monks’ quarters, despite being the sole monk at the temple. There were also ongoing complaints about drunken behaviour.
When officials arrived, they found the temple in a remote forest outside the village. Inside the quarters, the abbot was found with only his monk’s lower robe on and no shirt. A young woman was hiding behind a fridge in the room.
Both the abbot and the woman denied any wrongdoing. She said she had only run into the room after seeing the police because she was frightened. Officers tested the abbot’s blood alcohol and got a reading of 307 milligrams, well above the legal limit of 50.
Despite this, the abbot insisted the measuring device was faulty, though officials explained the device was standard and accurate.
The monastic council told the abbot that complaints from villagers had come in many times and that he had already been warned not to allow women into the monastery. Even after these warnings, he continued the same behaviour.
With the district head’s approval, the monastic council said the abbot could not remain at this temple any longer. Under monastic rules, this was considered “lokavajja” (an action condemned by the world), leaving him with only two options: to leave the monkhood there and then, or to do so elsewhere.
Monks Behaving Badly in Chiang Rai
Recent incidents in Chiang Rai involving monks behaving inappropriately have drawn significant attention, reflecting broader issues within Thailand’s Buddhist monkhood.
Last Month, a 72-year-old monk with the title Phra Kru in Chiang Rai voluntarily left the monkhood after a controversial video surfaced online, showing conduct deemed inappropriate for his senior rank. The clip, widely shared on social media, prompted an investigation by the Chiang Rai Office of Buddhism.
On August 15, senior monks, including the city’s chief monk, reviewed the evidence and concluded the monk’s actions harmed the monastic community’s reputation. He was defrocked in a formal ceremony at Wat Sri Boon Ruang on August 16, returning to lay life peacefully.
In November, a 44-year-old monk was arrested in Chiang Rai’s Mae Chan district after demanding 790 baht from a 20-year-old female motorist who gave him a ride. The woman reported a strong smell of alcohol, and police found Areek intoxicated, admitting to consuming three bottles of an alcoholic beverage.
These incidents are part of a broader pattern of scandals eroding public trust in Thailand’s Buddhist institutions, with Chiang Rai being a focal point. Issues like sexual misconduct, financial corruption, and substance abuse have fueled calls for reform.
