Briton, 68, is first foreigner ever to become Thailand's supreme monk after extraordinary journey

A man from the Isle of Wight has made history by becoming the first foreigner to reach the second-highest rank in Thai Buddhism.

Shaun Michael Chiverton, now known as Ajahn Jayasaro, was elevated to the title of supreme monk through a decree published in the Royal Gazette.

The 68-year-old left Britain for Thailand nearly five decades ago in pursuit of spiritual understanding.

He was born in 1958 and is widely regarded as one of the country's most esteemed living Buddhist teachers, according to the Bangkok Post.

His appointment places him just one tier below the supreme patriarch in Thailand's monastic hierarchy.

As a teenager, he began exploring Buddhist philosophy while grappling with questions about the purpose of being.

He studied under a monk called Ajahn Sumedho in the UK, working at the same time to fund his passage to Thailand.

He arrived in southeast Asia in 1979 and became a follower of the celebrated meditation master Luang Por Chah Subhaddo.

He entered full monkhood a year later and received the name Jayasaro, meaning "one who is victorious through the dhamma" - or the foundational teachings of the Buddha.

He went on to serve 16 years at Wat Pah Nanachat, the International Forest Monastery, initially as a deputy abbot and later as its abbot.

He left the monastery in 2003 to focus on meditation teaching and writing accessible books on Buddhist principles.

Over the past seven years, he has risen swiftly through Thailand's monastic ranks, receiving three promotions.

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He was granted Thai citizenship in 2020, a year after he was honoured with a royal title from the King of Thailand.

He continues to live alone in a forest hermitage near Khao Yai national park.

The Nation newspaper hailed his journey in a biography reading: "From a young man who left a small island in England in search of life's meaning, to a monk who has carried forward the Thai forest tradition, this elevation reflects not only advancement in ecclesiastical rank, but also Buddhism's role as a bridge connecting people across languages and cultures in the history of the Thai Sangha."

He was one of eight monks elevated to the rank of "Somdet Phra Rachakhana", which roughly translates to "supreme ecclesiastical monk".

Thailand operates a nine-tiered monastic hierarchy, and more than 90 per cent of its population identify as Buddhist.

The country follows the Buddhist calendar, making the current year 2569 rather than 2026.

Monks wearing saffron orange or earthy brown robes are treated with deep respect across Thai society.

Thousands of Thais view a temporary spell in the monkhood as an essential rite of passage.

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