KALASIN — 18 April 2026, a monk accused of repeatedly buying beer from a local shop has been expelled from a temple in northeastern Thailand after the behaviour sparked widespread criticism online, local officials said.
The case came to light after social media users shared images and accounts alleging the monk had been purchasing alcohol daily for nearly a year. A shop worker initially believed the drinks were being bought for labourers working at the temple, but later claimed the monk himself consumed them.
One post said the monk returned frequently to buy beer and later confronted shop staff angrily after residents reported the behaviour to local authorities, allegedly appearing intoxicated.
District chief Ommaree Yeewasri, along with police and administrative officials, ordered an investigation. Officers, village leaders and residents inspected the shop and confirmed that a monk identified as Phra Phirun, attached to a forest temple in Na Kham subdistrict, had purchased alcoholic beverages.
A subsequent check at the temple did not find the monk. Authorities conducted drug tests on four remaining monks, with all results negative.
The Na Kham subdistrict ecclesiastical chief said the monk had already been removed from the area and sent back to his original affiliation in Prasat district, Surin province.
Officials said no further irregularities were found, and the case has drawn attention to concerns over monastic conduct within local communities.