Has anyone else seen these women? I know that when the monks go round in the morning it is alms and merit making, and I know that nuns aren't actually part of the Sangha. I wonder if these women really are nuns or are part of a larger begging posse? Anyone have any idea?

Had a girlfriend who "took the white" for a few weeks once. She told me she was enitled

to go collecting alms in the morning , although she opted to go out and buy goodies and

share them with her fellow monks and nuns.

wow farangsay, you drove a woman to join the priesthood?

I'm not sure those nuns are legit, was told by a Thai they shouldn't be begging in that way or at that time of day. Or, they could just desperately need funds for their nunnery and are doing it in a way not normaly done. Who knows? I'll never know.

It sure doesn't seem like legit clergy do things that way in Thailand.

I'm not sure those nuns are legit, was told by a Thai they shouldn't be begging in that way or at that time of day. Or, they could just desperately need funds for their nunnery and are doing it in a way not normaly done. Who knows? I'll never know.

Thai Buddhism (mainly Theravada) doesn't really accept nuns (bhikkuni) so they tend to be treated badly. Some pressure (mainly from outside Thailand) is changing this very, very slowly (along with the drink, drugs, women, gambling, etc., etc., that seem to be an ingrained (minority) part of the Thai Buddhist priesthood).

There are a few ordained bhikkuni in Thailand, some even ordained here! You don't see many in Bangkok. Even if they're pretending to be bhikkuni (i.e. not ''legit''), dropping 20 baht in their bowl won't hurt.

[Edit: Removed stupid full stop after the exclamation mark.]

[2nd Edit: Feeling paranoid for being so pedantic. It was a hard day at work. I should go easy on myself.]