Shrugging off his orange robes to throw some big-man punches, a Thai monk is going viral today for starting a fight with another man at a Bangkok’s main railway terminal.
People far and wide were raining criticism on the unidentified monk who was filmed Sunday gesticulating at then taking swings at a seeming passer-by at the Bangkok Railway Station, aka Hua Lamphong.
“Why do you have to make the religion look so bad?” wrote witness Soracha Yoobanyong, who posted the video online. In the 42-second clip, the tough young monk can be seen furiously strutting toward another man and punching him in the middle of the terminal. Other witnesses appear to intervene to break up the fight, but the monk continues angrily pointing at the man. Several distressed onlookers can be heard in the background.
Soracha explained that the monk started swinging his righteous rage mitts after the other man asked if he was a fake monk – yes, it’s a common scam – because his hair was long and not shaved. As of publication time, Soracha had not responded to inquiries.
The video has been watched more than 212,000 times, with many commentators scrutinizing the monk.
“Wearing the robe apparently gives you power!” Arm Halo wrote last night.
Meanwhile, commenters like Tess Christiano don’t believe the monk in question is legitimate. “Lots of fake monks at Hua Lampong, I see them a lot because, when it gets dark, they go into a nearby 7-Eleven and eat in the corner of the train station,” she wrote this morning.
“Makes the Ultraman painting look like no big deal huh?” Jille Noplse wrote in reference controversial student paintings depicting the Buddha as Japanese superhero Ultraman that have stirred debate this week.
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Blue Steel says
It must be quite painful to be “punched in the middle of the terminal”