Thai monk rejected by Chiang Mai hotel due to alleged religious bias

A Thai monk has accused a Chiang Mai hotel of religious discrimination after his booking was cancelled and he was refused accommodation, according to allegations shared on social media. Phra Maha Naphan, also known as Ven. Napan IBHAP, wrote on Facebook that staff at the Chiang Mai hotel allegedly told him "Monks are not allowed to stay because the owner is a Muslim, who is religious".

The monk, who was travelling from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, initially checked into the hotel as usual because he needed to stay near his flight terminal. However, when he explained his situation to the hotel manager and asked for assistance, the hotel allegedly cancelled his booking despite being told the owner was Sikh and not Muslim. The monk claimed the hotel did not mention any religious restrictions on the booking platform or in their documents.

Phra Maha Naphan warned he would report the incident to the Office of the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand, despite the hotel refusing him accommodation. He urged social media users not to turn the incident into a religious dispute, stating it concerned a business operator's alleged discriminatory policy rather than any particular faith.

The monk named the hotel branch in his post, but the hotel has not responded to the report. It remains unclear whether the monk formally filed a complaint with the relevant authorities.