In recent days, Thich Minh Tue has garnered considerable public attention, drawing crowds wherever he goes, sometimes numbering in the thousands, leading to traffic disruptions and concerns over public order and safety.

On June 3, the official website of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs announced that Mr. Le Anh Tu (Thich Minh Tue) had voluntarily ceased his alms rounds following incidents where his followers suffered heat stroke, exhaustion, hospitalization, and even fatalities.

After a week of retreat, Thich Minh Tue made a sudden appearance on VTV1's primetime news on June 8. During the interview, he expressed his well-being and commitment to the teachings of Buddha. However, due to concerns over traffic disruptions caused by his followers, he announced his decision to halt his activities.

This development garnered widespread attention from Thich Minh Tue's supporters, leading to a surge in viewership and online discussions. The keyword "VTV1 Thich Minh Tue" trended as the most searched term on Google Vietnam for two consecutive days.

On June 9, VTV1 continued its coverage with another interview featuring Thich Minh Tue in a serene natural setting. He discussed his plans for future alms rounds and emphasized the need for a stable environment conducive to his spiritual practice.

The VTV features sparked debates on social media platforms. While some praised the network for providing valuable insights amidst misinformation surrounding Thich Minh Tue's seclusion, others questioned the authenticity of the interviews. Doubts arose regarding the staging of the interviews, particularly due to perceived inconsistencies in backgrounds and attire.

However, these doubts were dispelled with the release of the second interview, which showcased both the reporter and Mr. Thich Minh Tue in the same frame, affirming the credibility of the coverage.

Responding to allegations of image manipulation, VTV reporter Lien Lien clarified the authenticity of the interviews and urged for evidence to support claims of misinformation.

While debates continue, social media platforms circulated a video of Thich Minh Tue receiving his Citizen Identification Card on June 8, further adding to the public discourse surrounding his recent activities.

Earlier, Le Anh Tu, with the Buddhist name of Thich Minh Tue, the mendicant figure at the centre of the 'begging monk' social media craze, voluntarily stopped his latest walk following a number of public and traffic disturbances caused by his followers.

According to the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, from 2017 to 2023, he began practising Buddhism, walking and begging for alms and he travelled across Vietnam three times without issue, according to the committee.

In 2024, he started the fourth walk from Khanh Hoa Province in south-central Vietnam heading towards Cao Bang-Ha Giang in the northern border, and currently he is on the return journey, now at Thua Thien-Hue Province.

However, this time, large crowds have started following him – including both the curious, people who want to pay their respects, along with hundreds of social media followers who have been live streaming his journey on their channels – resulting in public disorder and traffic disturbances.

On May 30, 2024, a man in the followers named Luong Thanh Son (alias Minh Thien) from District 1, HCM City, died from heatstroke, multi-organ failure and gastrointestinal bleeding.

On June 2, 2024, two women following Tú also suffered from heatstroke and exhaustion, but were hospitalised in time for treatment.

In the wake of these incidents, the authorities said they had discussed safety with Le Anh Tu, stressing the Government's policy of respecting freedom of belief and religion, but in the context of public safety and health as well as social stability.

The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha confirmed that Le Anh Tu is not a registered Buddhist monk belonging to any pagoda or institution of the sangha, and Tu himself stated he is a mere layperson following Buddha's teachings.

Quynh An