Lampang Provincial Buddhism Office filed a complaint against an entertainment venue after a house singer dressed as a monk and performed a show mocking a viral sex scandal involving a former abbot in Ayutthaya.
The performance was posted on the venue’s official Facebook page on Saturday, September 12. The video showed the singer wearing a yellow monk’s robe and a large Palad Khik, a Thai amulet traditionally shaped like a penis, around his waist.
He performed dancing and gestures that appeared to imitate scenes from a viral sexual video involving the former abbot of Phutthaisawan Temple in Ayutthaya.
The former monk had recently been arrested over alleged embezzlement involving more than 92 million baht. He was also accused of violating Buddhist practices by having a sexual relationship with a woman, with one viral video reportedly showing the pair engaging in sexual activity on a table.
The entertainment venue’s video attracted attention from Thai netizens, prompting the Lampang Provincial Buddhism Office to respond.
Kanuengkit Promnuchanon, director of the Lampang Provincial Buddhism Office, described the performance as extremely inappropriate. He reportedly filed a complaint against the entertainment venue’s owner at Meuang Lampang Police Station and urged officers to take action.
Kanuengkit also urged the public not to further exploit Buddhism in connection with the scandal. He encouraged people to help improve Buddhism rather than become attached to individuals who had behaved inappropriately.
The director said Buddhists should instead focus on the Dhamma and Buddhist doctrine rather than attaching themselves to individual monks.
A second video showing a similar performance has also circulated on social media. It reportedly showed a singer at another entertainment venue wearing a monk’s robe before removing it during the performance and revealing colourful underwear to the audience.
The second venue was reportedly located in Koh Ka district of Lampang. There has been no report in the supplied information confirming whether the Lampang Provincial Buddhism Office has acknowledged the second case or taken action over it.
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