Survey finds Thai public blames monks' misconduct for Buddhism's decline

The Star

6 days ago

FILE PHOTO: A devotee gives alms to Buddhist monk at a flower market in Bangkok on July 18, 2025. A recent poll reveals widespread public concern over misconduct in the monkhood, with strong support for legal penalties to protect Buddhism's integrity. - AFP
BANGKOK: The National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) has released the findings of a new public opinion survey titled 'Crisis in Buddhism!', revealing widespread concerns among Thai Buddhists over the state of the clergy.
Conducted by NIDA Poll between July 14–16, 2025, the survey gathered responses from 1,310 Buddhists aged 18 and above across all regions, education levels, occupations and income brackets nationwide. The sample was drawn using probabilistic multi-stage sampling from the NIDA Poll's Master Sample database. Data were collected via telephone interviews, with a margin of error not exceeding ±5 per cent at a 97 per cent confidence level.
A recent survey has found that most Thais believe the decline in the image of Buddhism stems from misconduct by members of the clergy, with 76.11 per cent of respondents pointing to monks who remain attached to worldly pleasures, leading to frequent scandals involving drugs, alcohol, gambling and improper relations with women.
The second most cited cause (45.95 per cent) was monks being obsessed with wealth, status and praise, while 45.80 per cent blamed consumerism and materialism among some members of the clergy.
Four in ten respondents (40 per cent) said some monks enter the monkhood merely to earn a living, viewing it as a career path. Meanwhile, 29.16 per cent said some temples have become overly commercialised, and 27.63 per cent pointed to a lack of financial transparency.
Around a quarter (25.42 per cent) criticised Buddhist regulatory bodies for being weak and ineffective in preventing misconduct. Another 23.74 per cent said monks who stray from religious discipline often exhibit aggressive behaviour.
Some 16.72 per cent of respondents said that laypeople and disciples often encourage monks to engage in conduct that violates monastic discipline. The same percentage believed that ineffective internal governance within temples contributes to recurring scandals.
Additionally, 13.59 per cent pointed to certain monks who they believe are self-absorbed and promote exaggerated supernatural claims. Another 11.60 per cent criticised temples for pressuring people into making excessive or unnecessary donations through misleading or manipulative messaging.
Other concerns included distorted teachings (8.32 per cent), an overemphasis on occult rituals (7.79 per cent), political partisanship (1.68 per cent), and a small minority (0.46 per cent) said they saw no problems with Buddhism at all.
While confidence in individual monks is slipping, overall faith in Buddhism remains largely intact. According to the findings, 58.4 per cent of respondents said their trust in the clergy had decreased due to repeated scandals, while 41.6 per cent said it remained unchanged. However, 68.55 per cent said their faith in Buddhism itself was unaffected, with only 31.45 per cent noting a decline.
The survey also asked for opinions on a draft bill aimed at promoting and protecting Buddhism, which proposes penalties—including imprisonment and fines—for both monks and laypeople who engage in misconduct.
A large majority (80.76 per cent) strongly supported criminal penalties for monks who violate core monastic codes, while another 13.59 per cent said they were somewhat supportive.
Public opinion was more divided on other provisions:
Just 17 per cent strongly supported penalising laypeople who willingly engage in sexual acts with monks or novices.
63 per cent backed strict penalties for monks who falsely claim supernatural abilities.
35 per cent strongly supported punishing those who parody or distort Buddhist teachings.
44 per cent strongly agreed with criminalising false accusations against monks made without evidence. - The Nation/ANN