Help on the way for monks doing without alms

By THE NATION

 

 

Prime Minister’s Office Minister Thewan Liptapanlop said on Thursday (May 28) that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has assigned him the job of helping Buddhist temples nationwide that have been affected by the Covid-19 crisis and lockdown measures.

 

“The National Office of Buddhism has submitted a list of about 40,000 temples across the country that have been affected by the outbreak and lockdown measures, which are preventing people from visiting temples to make donations and give alms,” he said. “Approximately 200,000 monks have been hit by a shortage of food and other necessities.”

 

Thewan said he will send the list across to the Finance Ministry to come up with an estimate of how much will be needed to solve the problem.

 

“We are also looking at the measure that was used in 2009, when Buddhist monks in the three southern border provinces [Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani] had to go without morning alms due to security reasons,” he said. “Back then the Cabinet approved a Bt100 per day handout to each monk so they could buy food and other necessities.

 

“If the plan is approved, we will possibly require Bt400 million to Bt500 million per month to help all affected temples. Money will be paid to each temple, which can then work out how it can be disbursed among the monks.”

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30388660

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-05-28

 

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Give that much money to temples, there will be more than a few head monks riding around in Benz and Beamers.

maybe they could grow their own food , given the size of land most temples have, instead of sitting on their lazy backsides, expecting the poor hardworking people to fund their lazy lifestyle. Better still, grow it, then give to the poor, like they used to do many years ago in the UK

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Edited May 28, 20206 yr by OneeyedJohn

Out here in rural Thailand, I travel through several villages on my way to our land. Between 5:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. the sides of the roads are thronged with the faithful giving food to monks from 3 different temples.  It does seem to be primarily sticky rice, which is what the villagers are existing on anyway, but nevertheless, I have seen no decline in giving or receiving alms.  If anything more people seem to be giving than before the Covid-19 crisis!

18 hours ago, webfact said:

Money will be paid to each temple, which can then work out how it can be disbursed among the monks.”

I think we know how it will be dispersed...............

  

There is a restriction in the Buddhist monks list of rules, forbidding farming and growing and picking fruit.  It is about the prospect of maybe killing worms or insects.  It probably should have been lifted many years ago as growing their own veggies and fruits would be ideal for them.