Abbot faces complaint after boy slapped at Nakhon Sawan school

A 13-year-old schoolboy has left his school in Nakhon Sawan after an abbot allegedly slapped him during a Mothers Day alms-giving ceremony on 12 August.

The boy's mother, Suphanee, has filed a police complaint at Takhro Police Station after saying her son suffered a split lip, jaw pain and emotional distress. The abbot has admitted hitting the boy, but said it was intended as a lesson and was not severe.

The incident took place at a school in Pho Prasat subdistrict, Phai Sali district, around 10km from the boy's home in Samrong Chai, Ko Kha Chang village.

Noodles thrown into alms bowl

The school had invited the abbot and monks from a nearby temple to receive food offerings as part of its National Mothers Day morning activities.

The pupil, identified as 13-year-old Weeraphat, said he had been holding instant noodles to offer to the monks. Other pupils were standing in front of him, preventing him from reaching the abbot's bowl, so he threw the noodles into it.

He said he had not intended to insult the monk or act disrespectfully, but had wanted to give alms like the other pupils and acted without thinking because he could not reach the bowl.

According to Weeraphat, the abbot asked his name before slapping him hard on the right cheek. He said the abbot then called him to the activity area and reprimanded him in front of other pupils.

The boy said his cheek initially felt numb, but after returning home he developed jaw pain which spread to his ear. His mother took him to a doctor before reporting the matter to police.

Suphanee said medical evidence stated that her son had been assaulted. She said he had a split lip and pain in the right side of his jaw extending to his left ear.

Boy says he was not protected

Weeraphat said several teachers were present but did not protect him. Instead, he said, one teacher strongly reprimanded him for throwing an item into a monk's alms bowl.

A video of the alms-giving was posted on social media, he said, although it did not show the alleged slap. He said teachers had been filming at the time.

Feeling hurt and embarrassed, and afraid of facing fellow pupils, the boy said he did not want to return to the school and asked to leave. His mother said he had suffered psychological harm.

Abbot accepts he hit pupil

After the complaint was lodged, the school director visited Suphanee and Weeraphat with a gift basket to apologise. The family nevertheless said they would pursue legal action against the abbot.

Phra Khru Niwut Phothikij, abbot of Wat Pho Prasat and ecclesiastical head of Pho Prasat subdistrict, admitted that he had hit the boy. He said it was to teach him that throwing items into a monk's bowl was inappropriate, and maintained it was not serious.

The abbot also acknowledged reprimanding the pupil publicly, saying it was not intended to humiliate him but to serve as an example to others. He said the legal complaint should proceed through the justice process.

He added: "Perhaps it is time for me to disrobe." The abbot has been ordained and resident at Wat Pho Prasat for 36 years.

Pictures courtesy of Manager Online

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17 August 2026