An online controversy erupted after Thai netizens raised concerns about the consent of young boys who received Catholic monk haircuts for a church event in Ratchaburi province.
The news Facebook page Esor News 3 shared photos on Friday, June 7, showing young Thai boys in student uniforms with their heads shaved bald, leaving a ring of hair around the fringe, resembling traditional Catholic monk haircuts.
It was later revealed that these boys were participants in the annual celebration at Saint Anthony Church Donmottanoi in Ratchaburi. Netizens questioned whether the boys willingly shaved their heads or were coerced and demanded clarification from church officials.
In response, the official Facebook page of Saint Anthony Church Donmottanoi addressed the issue, stating that each child willingly underwent the haircut and was compensated for their significant roles during the ceremony. The haircut was designed to mimic that of the church’s patron saint, Saint Anthony of Padua, and was performed to enhance the event. The boys returned to their preferred hairstyles after the ceremony.
The page also mentioned that the parents of the boys were aware of and consented to the haircuts. They explained that while Catholic practices might seem unusual to Buddhist residents in Thailand, all Catholic members were eager to share their traditions to foster better understanding among people of all religions.
Despite the church’s clarification, negative comments continued to flood in from netizens:
“Even though I am a barber, I can’t accept this hairstyle.”
“If they were my children, I would move them to a new school.”
“Are they truly willing, or just unable to resist?”
“This haircut looks like the Japanese mythical creature, Kappa.”
Credit: The Thaiger
