A Buddhist monk caught drunk driving told police that ‘whiskey prevents Covid-19'.

Phra Thanakorn, 63, was seen stumbling around a market asking locals for money before he climbed into his pickup truck in Loei province, northern Thailand, on July 20.

Concerned locals called police as monks are banned from drinking. They complained he was 'causing mayhem'.

Phra Thanakorn was then taken to the station where he admitted downing two shots of whiskey with lemon.

However, his defence was that he only drank as it 'helped him to stay immune to the coronavirus'.

Loei Provincial Police Station chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Peerapong Raksi said: ‘The residents told us that a monk was causing mayhem in the market, so we sent some officers to check. When the monk was questioned, he was drunk but told officers the whiskey prevented him from catching Covid-19.'

The monk's breathalyser result came out highly intoxicated as he had trouble walking and speaking with the officers.

Speaking with the police, the old monk said: ‘I took a slice of lime with the whiskey, but I had to drive because our driver had an accident.'

The officers later released the monk but Police Lieutenant Colonel Peerapong called the abbot at the Mabinthabat Temple to give him the details.

Cops made an official request to have Phra Thanakorn disrobed and excommunicated from the Buddhist monkshood for having breaking its rules against drinking.