Radio Free Asia: Minh Tue, Vietnam's "Barefoot Monk," Enters Laos on Pilgrimage to India

On December 13, 2024, RFA reported that Minh Tuệ — Vietnam's internet-famous "barefoot monk" — had begun his pilgrimage to India, crossing the Bờ Y International Border Gate into Laos with several fellow unofficial monks.

The departure came months after his cross-country pilgrimage was forcibly dispersed in June. A November letter from a company owned by his brother had disclosed the India plan. Supporters assisted with border procedures as the group crossed.

Analysts suggested the authorities' decision to allow his departure reflected a strategic calculation: removing a domestic "thorn in the side" while generating positive international optics regarding religious freedom. A Buddhist observer noted that his popularity had stemmed from appearing more authentic than state-sanctioned monks, thereby exposing moral failings in Vietnam's official Buddhist establishment.