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

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% at a 97% 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% 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%) was monks being obsessed with wealth, status and praise, while 45.80% blamed consumerism and materialism among some members of the clergy.

Four in ten respondents (40%) said some monks enter the monkhood merely to earn a living, viewing it as a career path. Meanwhile, 29.16% said some temples have become overly commercialised, and 27.63% pointed to a lack of financial transparency.

Around a quarter (25.42%) criticised Buddhist regulatory bodies for being weak and ineffective in preventing misconduct. Another 23.74% said monks who stray from religious discipline often exhibit aggressive behaviour.

Some 16.72% 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% pointed to certain monks who they believe are self-absorbed and promote exaggerated supernatural claims. Another 11.60% criticised temples for pressuring people into making excessive or unnecessary donations through misleading or manipulative messaging.

Other concerns included distorted teachings (8.32%), an overemphasis on occult rituals (7.79%), political partisanship (1.68%), and a small minority (0.46%) 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% of respondents said their trust in the clergy had decreased due to repeated scandals, while 41.6% said it remained unchanged. However, 68.55% said their faith in Buddhism itself was unaffected, with only 31.45% 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%) strongly supported criminal penalties for monks who violate core monastic codes, while another 13.59% said they were somewhat supportive.

Public opinion was more divided on other provisions:

Just 17% strongly supported penalising laypeople who willingly engage in sexual acts with monks or novices.

63% backed strict penalties for monks who falsely claim supernatural abilities.

35% strongly supported punishing those who parody or distort Buddhist teachings.

44% strongly agreed with criminalising false accusations against monks made without evidence.