Candles and chanting: Thai cave boys begin ceremony to become Buddhist novices

By Amy Sawitta Lefevre

 

Members of the soccer team rescued from a cave are seen during ordination ceremony, in a temple at Mae Sai, in the northern province of Chiang Rai, Thailand July 24, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Eleven boys from a soccer team, who were rescued from a flooded Thai cave in a drama that gripped global audiences, took their first steps on Tuesday to be ordained as Buddhist novices in a ceremony steeped in tradition.

 

The occasion was broadcast live on Facebook by local authorities and starts a process whereby the boys will live for nine days in a Buddhist temple - a promise made by their families in thanks for their safe return and in memory of one rescuer who died.

 

Members of the soccer team rescued from a cave, get head shaving during ordination ceremony, in a temple at Mae Sai, in the northern province of Chiang Rai, Thailand July 24, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer

 

The rescue involved divers and volunteers from all over the world and ended on July 10 when the last of the group was brought to safety from inside Chiang Rai's Tham Luang Cave in Northern Thailand.

 

The boys and their 25-year-old coach Ekapol Chanthawong had gone to explore the caves on June 23, where they became trapped. They survived for nine days on water dripping from rocks before they were discovered on a muddy mound by divers.

 

"The eleven boys will be ordained as novices, whereas Coach Ek will be ordained as a monk," Rachapol Ngamgrabuan, an official at Chiang Rai's provincial press office, told viewers on Facebook.

 

Members of the soccer team rescued from a cave, get head shaving during ordination ceremony, in a temple at Mae Sai, in the northern province of Chiang Rai, Thailand July 24, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer

 

Buddhism is Thailand's main religion and is followed by more than 90 percent of the population. One of the boys, fourteen-year-old Adul Sam-on is Christian and will not be ordained.

 

FILE PHOTO: The 12 boys and their soccer coach who were rescued from a flooded cave arrive for a news conference in the northern province of Chiang Rai, Thailand, July 18, 2018. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

The 12 boys, aged 11 to 16, were discharged from a hospital last week and have been spending time at home. They spoke of their ordeal last week at a news conference organised by the Thai government.

 

Wearing simple white clothes, the boys pressed their palms together in prayer during the morning ceremony as a saffron-robed monk gave thanks for their safe rescue.

 

The boys and their coach lit yellow candle sticks at the Wat Phra That Doi Wao, a scenic temple in Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district, where the boys are from.

 

Trays of sweets, fruits and sugary drinks were placed in front of Buddha statues wrapped in shiny gold cloth.

 

The boys will live as monks for nine days starting on Wednesday, Chiang Rai officials said in a statement on Sunday.

 

Along with their coach, they will have their hair shaved on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the main ordination ceremony on Wednesday.

 

Traditionally, many Thai men are ordained as Buddhist monks once they came of age - a practice thought to bring blessings and honour to Thai Buddhist families.

 

(Editing by Neil Fullick)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-07-25

Forgive my cynicism, but I have to ask; how much money will the temple be collecting because of this? Please don't try to tell me that they will not benefit and/or profit...

 

 

This would be quite a nice story if it A, didn't feel so staged. B, was in the boys' best interests at this moment in time, and C, if Thai Buddhism and temples were actually tenets of true Buddhism and not so tainted by graft, greed, and sin.

 

The temple in question is going to be drowning in merit money, and the question has to be asked who is going to be pocketing it.  

2 hours ago, webfact said:

One of the boys, fourteen-year-old Adul Sam-on is Christian and will not be ordained.

Amen brother. The bible bashers can sleep well tonight.

Bet they would rather be playing football.

'The occasion was broadcast live by local authorities' ...

 

So much for all the cant and empty talk about 'the boys need to be left alone now and allowed to get over their ordeal in peace - not disturbed by reporters, photographers, etc.'

 

As usual in Thailand, all words, words, words - empty, meaningless words. Can't official Thailand ever, even once, do something that it says it is going to do? Can't it for once be sincere?

 

 

Edited July 24, 20187 yr by Eligius

1 hour ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Forgive my cynicism, but I have to ask; how much money will the temple be collecting because of this? Please don't try to tell me that they will not benefit and/or profit...

 

 

That's right. 

Along with the psychiatrist, the ministry of culture and the hospital. 

Everyone is allowed to organise an exclusive  press release except the boys and the boys parents. Not even the coach  (an adult) has been permitted to give an interview. 

It's just really sad that they are literally being robbed of their fame. 

33 minutes ago, coulson said:

Amen brother. The bible bashers can sleep well tonight.

He is also stateless because of his Myanmar background.

He was the one who facilitated the rescue of the Thai children because he was the only one who could speak English. It was those English language skills which facilitated the important sharing of info in the early days of the rescue as no Thai personnel had made it through.

 

His reward is to still be ostracized and to have his role and value  dismissed.

No mention of his being given Thai citizenship despite saving his team mates.

 

Oh, and why does he speak a bit of  English? The benefit of a Christian school. To all those who bash the Christian charities who educate the stateless in Thailand, you can say thank you.

 

33 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

He is also stateless because of his Myanmar background.

He was the one who facilitated the rescue of the Thai children because he was the only one who could speak English. It was those English language skills which facilitated the important sharing of info in the early days of the rescue as no Thai personnel had made it through.

Don't disagree with the rest of your point, but the fact that this boy spoke English had no real effect on the rescue mission other than to make the initial contact more newsworthy and heartwarming to the wider world. All initial assessments, including the establishing of how many were there (counted by Stanton) were done by the rescue teams.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The occasion was broadcast live on Facebook by local authorities

sickening, just like being forced to follow this nonsense

54 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

To all those who bash the Christian charities who educate the stateless in Thailand

if they stuck to "education " only it would be acceptable, once they start to drag in ANY religion it  aint

I hope the kids grow up understanding the well organized and professional operation was responsible for their rescue. Not some fairy tale.

3 hours ago, coulson said:

Amen brother. The bible bashers can sleep well tonight.

The supporters of freedom from religion (and mumbo jumbo) sadly can not! 

Don't see any candles in the photos, prolly because it's day time.  ?

Edited July 25, 20187 yr by 55Jay

Crowd attend footballers’ ordination

By Natthawat Laping, 
Sakaorat Sirima 
The Nation

 

 

A large crowd braved the rain on Wednesday to give food offerings in the first alms-collecting round by the 11 "Wild Boar" footballers, who are now Buddhist novices, and their coach Ekkapol Chantawong, who became a monk, at Wat Phra That Doi Tung in Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district.

 

Many also grabbed pouches full of donated coins that the 12 newly ordained novices had thrown to the crowd for merit-making as they believed the coins were auspicious souvenirs that can provide longevity and protection from harm, like the boys trapped in the flooded cave.

 

Ekkapol received a monastic name "Wisarntho" (the wise and brave one), because of his role in helping the boys survive the Tham Luang cave ordeal, from his preceptor Phra Buddhiwongwiwat, Mae Sai’s district chief monk.

 

While the 11 novices would practise dhamma and stay in Wat Phra That Doi Wao for nine days until August 4, Phra Wisarntho will complete the three-month "pansa" rain retreat.

 

All the boys, except Adul Sam-on who is a Christian, underwent the Buddhist ordination ceremony in honour of former Thai Navy Seal diver Saman Kunan who died during the rescue operation.

 

Saman's widow, Valeepoan Kunan, and army doctor Pak Loharnchun, who joined the footballers in the cave after they were discovered by British divers on July 2 and remained with them until they were all rescued on July 10, also attended the ceremony, which was presided over by the new Chiang Rai governor, Prajon Pratsakul.

 

The saga of the "Wild Boars" transfixed the world as Thai and international divers worked in a dramatic mission to get them out of the cave where they were trapped since June 23 and survived on rainwater dripping from rocks.

 

They were brought out safely in three batches on July 8-10.

 

After recuperating in hospital for a week, they were sent home with no apparent health problems.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30350786

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-25

And all this is supposed to be 'getting the boys back to normal life again'. Hmmmm ...

 

Still, if this is what the boys (genuinely) want, what their families want, what Thai society wants ...

 

One thing is clear: these boys are not going to be left alone to get on with normal everyday life for a very long time. Some people will turn this into a media circus.

 

Edited July 25, 20187 yr by Eligius

Maybe best to mind your own culture instead of mocking others. Buddhism  works for Thailand - Mind your own business in other words... 

1 minute ago, cmrichsw said:

Maybe best to mind your own culture instead of mocking others. Buddhism  works for Thailand - Mind your own business in other words... 

Oh, dear!

Not another one!

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Crowd attend footballers’ ordination

Now:

Crowd and government respect team's right to privacy by arriving in droves and publicising event in the media.

 

Later:

Government sues self after realising it has ignored its own demand for the team's privacy. Expected to disappear up own rear end soon.

 

After seeing how much of everything these kids do is being televised, written about and photographed, I think the government wants to censor what the kids or parents have to say and that is why they can't give interviews. I believed, in the early stages that it was for the good of the victims, being the children, but now I believe, it's for the good of the victims, being the government. The kids are still largely in the spotlight, so why not let them give interviews, rather then let their families make a promise for them that they will live in a temple and allow everything they do to be scrutinized. I feel bad for the kids as everyone else is making decisions about their future for them.

these stories are too cute and clean and sweet and happy, we need some dirty laundry

Edited July 25, 20187 yr by mok199
speliings

Get the nine days over with and then get back to cashing in.

1 hour ago, curlylekan said:

After seeing how much of everything these kids do is being televised, written about and photographed, I think the government wants to censor what the kids or parents have to say and that is why they can't give interviews. I believed, in the early stages that it was for the good of the victims, being the children, but now I believe, it's for the good of the victims, being the government. The kids are still largely in the spotlight, so why not let them give interviews, rather then let their families make a promise for them that they will live in a temple and allow everything they do to be scrutinized. I feel bad for the kids as everyone else is making decisions about their future for them.

I am beginning to wonder if the junta has got something to hide regarding this cave event - and fears that the boys might speak out of turn. Perhaps things were not as we have been told. Perhaps the junta wants to silence the boys, in case they say something that would damage the junta's 'image manufacturing' and nationalism ...

 

Edited July 25, 20187 yr by Eligius

Just now, Eligius said:

I am beginning to wonder if the junta has got something to hide regarding this cave event - and fears that the boys might speak out of turn. Perhaps things were not as we have been told. Perhaps the junta wants to silence the boys, in case they say something that would damage the junta's 'image manufacturing' ...

I'm everyone knows they're doing that just fine on their own.