Vietnam’s barefoot monk has arrived in southern Laos’ Champasak province and could cross into Thailand later this weekend on his way to India, two eyewitnesses told Radio Free Asia on Friday.
Thich Minh Tue became an internet sensation earlier this year after his ascetic lifestyle attracted a following as he traveled by foot across Vietnam.
In late November, he began a walking pilgrimage to Buddhist sites in India. He crossed from Vietnam into Laos on Dec. 12.
Tue is walking with two other followers and a camera man, one of the eyewitnesses said. He traveled through the provincial capital, Pakse, and crossed the Mekong river on Friday.
“Villagers pop their heads out of the windows to look at them,” the eyewitness said.
Tue and the others set up camp near Phu Salao, where a golden statue of Buddha sits atop a mountain, another eyewitness said.
“There are villagers greeting him wherever he goes,” the eyewitness said. “Residents laid pads on the path as he was walking by and offered him alms, but he did not accept money or food. So we sit and pay respect to him.”
Previous pilgrimage
In early June, authorities in Vietnam dispersed Tue and a group of followers while they were on another cross-country pilgrimage in Thua Thien Hue province.
At the time, several social media influencers documented his pilgrimage on TikTok and other platforms. He amassed legions of supporters who were drawn to his simple lifestyle and humble attitude.
Tue sports a shaved head, patched robe and a rice cooker as an alms bowl. He isn’t officially a monk because he’s not recognized by the state-sanctioned Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.
Tue disappeared from public view for extended periods after the June raid. Last month, a letter purported to be written by Tue said he had renounced his vow of poverty, although supporters questioned its authenticity.
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Authorities in Vietnam are almost always wary of social movements outside of the control of the ruling Communist Party.
Allowing Tue to leave for India was a win-win situation for Vietnam, Buddhist scholar Nguyen Thanh Huy told RFA earlier this month.
It “alleviates the challenges in ensuring security and reduces societal pressure stemming from waves of public opinion.”
In Laos, Tu didn’t give advance notice of the journey to the Buddhist Fellowship Organization, the governing body of the country’s Buddhist community, according to a monk from the organization.
So, he hasn’t received accommodation from other religious fellows, but Lao police and other security officers have been following him “to make sure he is safe and so on,” the monk said.
Translated by Khamsao Civilize. Edited by Matt Reed.
This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by RFA Lao.
This post was originally published on Radio Free.