Police are now searching for the monk after the incident was reported to them

A skulking Thai Buddhist monk was banished from his temple after being caught on CCTV stealing women's wet knickers.

In the footage recorded on Monday the shaven-headed priest is seen skulking down an alleyway in Suphaburi, Thailand.

CCTV filmed the monk, Theeraphap Worradilok, 49, slipping six pairs of drying underwear into his blue shoulder bag before scurrying away.

Homeowner Kittisak Khajornnetikhun, 40, discovered his wife and daughter's underwear was missing later that evening.

When he checked the CCTV footage he was astounded to find the missing pants had been snatched by a holy man.

He called the police who have now launched a manhunt for the shamed monk after his temple's spiritual leader defrocked and banished him.

Kittisak, who runs a gold shop, said: 'The underwear isn't worth a lot of money. My wife can buy more, though she did like one of the pairs that were stolen.

'The most important thing is that other women should be warned about the monk. That's why we have reported it.

'It's quite funny and we're not shaken up by it so we don't want to make a fuss. But it's the right thing that he is caught for this.'

Buddhist monk Theeraphap Worradilok (pictured left and right), 49, was caught on CCTV snatching women's wet underwear on Monday in Suphaburi, Thailand

Gold salesman Kittisak Khajornnetikhun (pictured wearing a white shirt), 40, was astonished to discover his wife and daughter's underwear had been snatched by a holy man

Officers interviewed the temple abbot who said he had expelled the disgraced monk after being alerted to the incident

He told police the monk had claimed he had recently stopped taking prescription medicine which had made him behave strangely.

Police Colonel Phuwadit Khongpet, who is in charge of tracking down the rogue holy man, said: 'It's a fact the man in the video was a monk. He is originally from Nakhon Nayok province.

'We have interviewed the abbot at the temple who said the monk might have been confused because he had stopped taking medication.

'But he has tarnished the reputation of the temple.

'Officers will continue the investigation, find the monk and charge him with theft according to law.'