Drunk Monk Defrocked After Funeral Disturbance in Uthai Thani
A 37-year-old monk in Uthai Thani was defrocked after getting drunk and causing a disturbance at a funeral when he wasn't invited to chant. Phra Suphat drank heavily, rode a three-wheeled vehicle to the temple, argued with villagers, and flirted with a reporter before police and a senior monk removed his robes. Authorities also discovered his monastic record book appeared to have forged entries with inconsistent handwriting.
At 10:30 AM on October 21, 2026, Lan Sak Police Station in Uthai Thani received a report from villagers at a funeral at Wat Phromprathanphon, Moo 2, Lan Sak Subdistrict, Lan Sak District, Uthai Thani Province, that a drunk monk was causing a disturbance at the funeral pavilion. Upon receiving the report, Lieutenant Naruphon Chanthot, duty officer of Shift 20, led a team to Wat Thepprathanphon, where they found villagers had chased Phra Suphat, age 37, who was intoxicated on the road in front of the temple, arguing with locals.
Reporters questioned Phra Suphat, who said he ordained on March 5, 2026 at a temple in Nakhon Ratchasima. He later returned for Buddhist Lent at another temple but couldn't stay because the abbot made him do manual labor daily with no rest, so he left and stayed at Wat Thepprathanphon since early this month.
When a funeral was held at the temple, he expected the abbot to invite him to chant the previous night but wasn't invited, leaving him upset. He packed his belongings, went home, bought white liquor, poured it into a plastic bottle, and drank continuously until he passed out. He then rode his red three-wheeled vehicle to the temple and, in his drunken state, argued with funeral attendees. Villagers told him to leave and argue outside. As he rode out, his chain fell off on the road, and more villagers gathered to argue.
During the exchange, Phra Suphat attempted to flirt with a female reporter, speaking slurred words and winking at her repeatedly, asking if she had a husband, while continuing to drink alcohol.
Lieutenant Naruphon then invited Phra Athikan Samlee, abbot of Wat Khao Phraya Payayua and the monastic disciplinarian, who was at the funeral, to the scene. He questioned Phra Suphat about whether he was ready to be defrocked while intoxicated. Phra Suphat agreed, so white robes were brought and he was defrocked at the pavilion in front of Wat Thepprathanphon.
Afterward, Phra Athikan Samlee examined Phra Suphat's monastic record book and found the handwriting differed on each page, leading to suspicions the document was forged.
