A video of 5 Thai monks riding a 'car-shaped' banana boat on a lake has gone viral online, sparking heated public discussion and criticism, with many questioning the propriety of such behavior by monks. The Thai National Office of Buddhism has stated that the monks' actions violated precepts.
According to reports, the incident occurred at Bueng Khong Long Reservoir in Bueng Kan Province, Thailand.
Earlier, a Thai internet celebrity uploaded the video to his Facebook page. The footage shows five monks in robes sitting calmly on a 'car-shaped' banana boat cruising on the lake.
The video quickly spread on Thai social media, igniting fierce debate over the proper conduct of monks.
As the controversy grew, the internet celebrity later deleted the post. He clarified that the video was not filmed by him personally, but re-shared from another social media account, and he did not expect it to cause such a big controversy.
Although some netizens found the scene funny and amusing, the majority considered such behavior highly inappropriate for monks. One commenter harshly criticized: "Don't they feel ashamed of what they did? They are no longer worthy of being monks."
Another claimed: "I've dined at restaurants in that area and have personally witnessed monks enjoying banana boat rides like this."
One netizen lamented: "Being a monk nowadays is nothing more than a job."
Even though the original post was deleted, multiple media outlets have since reported on the footage. According to Thailand's Channel 7, the incident took place in the waters off Kham Som Boon Beach at Bueng Khong Long Reservoir, and the banana boat service was provided by a local restaurant.
The owner of the implicated restaurant told the media that the monks had traveled from Sakon Nakhon Province to Bueng Kan Province to visit a religious site. After their trip, they stopped at the restaurant for lunch and inquired whether they could take a boat tour to enjoy the reservoir scenery.
The owner said that since all regular sightseeing boats were already rented out, his staff suggested giving the monks a free ride on the banana boat as an alternative.
He emphasized that the jet ski operator towing the banana boat only pulled the monks at a slow and steady pace around the reservoir, unlike the thrilling 'drifting' rides normally offered to tourists.
In response to the controversy, the Thai National Office of Buddhism issued a statement saying that while monks are allowed to use transportation under appropriate circumstances, banana boats are clearly not considered a proper means of transportation.
The office stressed that riding a banana boat counts as 'entertainment activity', which means the monks' actions violated monastic precepts.
In any case, the authorities will not impose any formal or harsh punishment on the involved monks. According to reports, the provincial Buddhist office will summon them and issue a stern warning.