Buddhistdoor Global: Vietnamese Ascetic Minh Tue Adjusts Pilgrimage Route Amid Challenges

On March 13, 2025, Buddhistdoor Global reported that Minh Tuệ and his group had adjusted their pilgrimage route after failing to secure permission to cross Myanmar amid ongoing civil conflict following the 2021 coup.

The pilgrims departed northern Thailand by bus on March 5, crossing the border into Malaysia at Sadao. A traveling monk, Phuc Giac, explained the decision: "We were afraid that if we went to Laos, we would not be able to re-enter Thailand."

Their subsequent route remained uncertain — possibly involving sea passage to India or Sri Lanka, though irregular ferry services complicated this option. The journey continued to go viral on Vietnamese social media, even as the Vietnamese state media had previously criticized coverage of him and officials had claimed he "voluntarily retired" from monastic life.