Buddhist temples get green light for religious gatherings

By The Nation

 

 

The Sangha Supreme Council has given temples nationwide the go-ahead for organising religious activities now that the Covid-19 situation has improved.

 

 

“Temples have been strictly adhering to the council’s order to avoid holding religious ceremonies. Now that the situation has improved, we have decided to let temples hold activities, provided they implement measures put in place by the Public Health Ministry to curb transmission,” said Saroch Kansirisilp, director of the council’s secretariat, said the National Office of Buddhism.

 

He said temples, especially those that are tourist attractions, are required to screen visitors, provide them with hand-santising gel and make arrangements for people to observe social distancing.

 

“We will meet relevant authorities to see if we can add temples to the ThaiChana ‘check-in’ platform,” he added.

 

Meanwhile, Weerawut Imsamran, deputy director-general of the Department of Medical Services, has called on monks to look after their health and avoid going to sites where they may get infected.

 

“All monks must wear face masks where necessary and if they have symptoms, they must see a doctor as soon as possible,” he said.

 

“We also want to ask people to observe rules to contain the spread of Covid-19 while making merit as well.”

 

The National Office of Buddhism oversees 42,000 temples and about 300,000 monks across the nation.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30390101

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-06-23

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

I like the first photo with the red warning bollards immediately in front of the monk.

It makes me wonder what the hazard sign should say: Monks ahead - lock your doors?

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“Temples have been strictly adhering to the council’s order to avoid holding religious ceremonies. 

Temples have been strictly adhering????

Not here, things have just been continuing as normal, all through the virus situation local temple carried on as normal.

Yup, & they've been walking around in the mornings, collecting their swag with no masks on.

 

Divine intervention, no doubt.

 

????

 

 

16 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Temples have been strictly adhering????

Not here, things have just been continuing as normal, all through the virus situation local temple carried on as normal.

That's because they have the power of prayer in their side.

Plus the all-singing-all-dancing amulets too.

 

The newer hi-tech amulets run on two AA batteries (batteries not included)

I read someone's developing a solar-powered amulet - not to be used by night-time drink-drivers.

 

<For the hard-of-learning: The text above may contain traces of sarcasm>

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Temples have been strictly adhering to the council’s order

Do those who make these statements ever venture out of Bangkok? I travel past 4 temples in villages on my way to our land every morning and see monks doing the rounds without masks, attending funerals etc, without social distancing, also see villagers flocking to temples on Buddha days, so the above statement probably only applies to city temples! 

Buddhism isn't a religion but that fact probably slipped by the National Office for Buddhism.

According to Wiki, it's the 4th largest religion.....