I have lived in one area of Chiang Mai for 13 years.  During this time I have been impressed with the service and dedication of our visiting monk, and my wife always said he was the good face of Thailand.

He has just ''BORROWED'' over 150,000 Bht in small sums from his local faithful over a period of 3 weeks, and departed hence.  We did not see this coming.

Why do people give money to monks? They are not supposed to touch money.

Got to feel sorry for the people that actually believe in that nonsense

All too frequent, I'm afraid. I remember a lady called Oi who ran a massage shop, tried to borrow money from me. Next thing, she had decamped to Bangkok, leaving behind unpaid staff, rent and utilities, plus several customers she had succeeded in getting loans from. Disappeared completely, had obviously been planning it for several months.

Not only in Thailand, though. I also remember working in Port Hedland in the late 1960's. Fairly hot climate. An enterprising electrician removed about 20 air conditioners from houses on Finucane Island under the pretext of servicing them. Trucked them down to Perth and sold them, took off for Germany. The police never did catch up with him.

4 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

All too frequent, I'm afraid. I remember a lady called Oi who ran a massage shop, tried to borrow money from me. Next thing, she had decamped to Bangkok, leaving behind unpaid staff, rent and utilities, plus several customers she had succeeded in getting loans from. Disappeared completely, had obviously been planning it for several months.

Not only in Thailand, though. I also remember working in Port Hedland in the late 1960's. Fairly hot climate. An enterprising electrician removed about 20 air conditioners from houses on Finucane Island under the pretext of servicing them. Trucked them down to Perth and sold them, took off for Germany. The police never did catch up with him.

He was air today and gone tomorrow.

"Disappointed" shouldn't be, the man did a runner and his in the wind now, the monkshood has definitely has changed since the days of true abstainity and righteousness are long gone and each one is to himself including monks and abbots... 

43 minutes ago, peterpop said:

wife always said he was the good face of Thailand.

Mine says the same, and I wonder how is the bad side?

1 hour ago, peterpop said:

During this time I have been impressed with the service and dedication of our visiting monk, and my wife always said he was the good face of Thailand.

You remind me of the movie "The Sting".

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

Got to feel sorry for the people that actually believe in that nonsense

The Roman Catholic Church is one of the richest institutions on Earth, all monies coming from poor believers.

3 minutes ago, stouricks said:

The Roman Catholic Church is one of the richest institutions on Earth, all monies coming from poor believers.

 

 

 

.................. and a good few rich ones

2 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

 

.................. and a good few rich ones

ah, but they got smart. In medieval times, they introduced the rule, forbidding priests from marrying, so as to make sure the money stayed in the church.

Some posts/responses removed.

 

11) You will not post slurs, degrading or overly negative comments directed towards Thailand, specific locations, Thai institutions such as the judicial or law enforcement system, Thai culture, Thai people or any other group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.
 

7 hours ago, ezzra said:

"Disappointed" shouldn't be, the man did a runner and his in the wind now, the monkshood has definitely has changed since the days of true abstainity and righteousness are long gone and each one is to himself including monks and abbots... 

Don't let a few miscreants make you think that they're all bad. Thais could say the same about you, because of the bad behaviour of rude lager louts in Soi Nana. I'm sure you'd hate that to happen.

I find them generally to be a waste of space, leaches on society, taking from the poor to glorify themselves and their temples.  I find them and it all very distasteful. To the endless upset of Mrs P, I will not set foot in a temple, or give a monk the time of day and I have flatly forbidden her to give them any food in the mornings.  I cant stop her giving merit at the temple, nor would I try, but I have told her how stupid and distasteful I find it all. . 

12 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

I find them generally to be a waste of space, leaches on society, taking from the poor to glorify themselves and their temples.  I find them and it all very distasteful. To the endless upset of Mrs P, I will not set foot in a temple, or give a monk the time of day and I have flatly forbidden her to give them any food in the mornings.  I cant stop her giving merit at the temple, nor would I try, but I have told her how stupid and distasteful I find it all. . 

Well you have very set ideas, have you no respect for your wife's feelings or her culture, obviously not and yet you have chosen to live in this country. If someone told me how stupid and distasteful they found my christian beliefs, I wouldn't be with them,

1 minute ago, JWRC said:

Well you have very set ideas, have you no respect for your wife's feelings or her culture, obviously not and yet you have chosen to live in this country. If someone told me how stupid and distasteful they found my christian beliefs, I wouldn't be with them,

a country is rarely defined by its various religions. We lived in the UK for 20 years and she knew that I had no time for Christianity or indeed for any religion.  She knows my view and understands my feelings on the matter.  I don't 'respect' her view about her religion, as i think it's deluded nonsense, but I do accept it as part of who she is. 

22 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

I don't 'respect' her view about her religion, as i think it's deluded nonsense, but I do accept it as part of who she is.

Women do mad stuff all the time.

Is giving money to monks any worse than buying 100 pairs of shoes and matching handbags?

Edited May 29, 20206 yr by BritManToo

Only if people knew what Monks stand for,

 

 

M-=Money

O=Of

N=Nice

K=Kind

S=Suckers

 

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

Women do mad stuff all the time.

Is giving money to monks any worse than buying 100 pairs of shoes and matching handbags?

well no, but at least they end up with something  useful for their money, not just a splash of water on the nut, a flower and a cheap amulet. 

1 minute ago, Pilotman said:

well no, but at least they end up with something  useful for their money, not just a splash of water on the nut, a flower and a cheap amulet. 

My (former) bar girl misses has gone full on Buddhist, tee total, born again prude.

I couldn't make even half her madness up.

10 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

My (former) bar girl misses has gone full on Buddhist, tee total, born again prude.

I couldn't make even half her madness up.

My sympathies. Unfortunately, Mrs P is of the same persuasion.  She often tells me that I will never be born again, which as you know, is the worst of insults from a Buddhist.  

Did he leave town in his BMW?

anyone stupid enough to give them money deserves it.

Monk = human. End of. There are very few pure souls in Thailand, or anywhere, that can adhere to the tenets of Lord Buddha. Most make a mockery out of it and not all robed are of sound mind.

9 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

Monk = human. End of. There are very few pure souls in Thailand, or anywhere, that can adhere to the tenets of Lord Buddha. Most make a mockery out of it and not all robed are of sound mind.

But you are I guess

12 hours ago, Pilotman said:

I find them generally to be a waste of space, leaches on society, taking from the poor to glorify themselves and their temples.  I find them and it all very distasteful. To the endless upset of Mrs P, I will not set foot in a temple, or give a monk the time of day and I have flatly forbidden her to give them any food in the mornings.  I cant stop her giving merit at the temple, nor would I try, but I have told her how stupid and distasteful I find it all. . 

I'm an agnostic. I don't try to influence my GF's beliefs. She prays to Buddha every night for a long life for me, why would I want to stop her?

12 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Women do mad stuff all the time.

Is giving money to monks any worse than buying 100 pairs of shoes and matching handbags?

Yes, it is.

Just now, Lacessit said:

I'm an agnostic. I don't try to influence my GF's beliefs. She prays to Buddha every night for a long life for me, why would I want to stop her?

wait for the long life money jokes to be posted

My axe is that the millions donated to individual temples, much of it from people who will have to miss a meal for a day, is as in my local town, spent on building a bigger and higher and more glittering second steeple rather than building a small free clinic for those in need within the largely empty grounds.     The current buildings are totally sufficient for those who wish to pray etc.

22 hours ago, Tarteso said:

Mine says the same, and I wonder how is the bad side?

Currently in progress, much like the "NightFly"   Doing some "Dirty Work"

More Than Disappointed = Welcome to Thailand.