Thai temple: Beware the gold leaf/flower selling mafia who force you to buy!

 

Image: Daily News

 

A famous temple in the north east of Thailand is cracking down on what legitimate traders are calling the mafia.

 

Trouble flared and online comment was rife after some Thai tourists at Wat Phra That Phanom said they were threatened after being forced to buy gold leaf, joss-sticks, candles and flowers for merit making ceremonies and prayers. 

 

Some tourists' vehicles were scratched in an apparent act of revenge against those who would not buy.

 

Now the abbot Phra Thepworamanuenee has called in the police and may install CCTV to prevent a repeat of the bad press. 

 

That Phanom chief Pol Col Srinakhon Naiwat said there were just a few bad apples and so far only warnings had been handed out. 

 

Traders said that no one should be forced to part with money.

 

There is a multi-decade tradition of selling items for prayers at the temple and the rogues who are there are part of a mafia group, they claimed.

 

Source: Daily News

 

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Is there any aspect of Thai commerce that isn't controlled by some sort of mafia?

22 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

That Phanom chief Pol Col Srinakhon Naiwat said there were just a few bad apples and so far only warnings had been handed out

hahaha; just the right attitude for a police chief

36 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Some tourists' vehicles were scratched in an apparent act of revenge against those who would not buy.

 

Lovely Thainess.

 

36 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

has called in the police and may install CCTV to prevent a repeat of the bad press.

 

Of course.

 

The scratched cars don't matter, it's the bad press that he's really concerned about. 

54 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

That Phanom chief Pol Col Srinakhon Naiwat said there were just a few bad apples and so far only warnings had been handed out. 

Makes one wonder.  When people are threatened to coerce them to buy products that don't want, then the police only hand out warnings.  ????

Pretty sure the rich overseas tourists that they covet so much will have no issue coughing up.

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Now the abbot Phra Thepworamanuenee has called in the police

Got the Mafia??? Who you gonna Call?

The other Mafia!

My vote is that if you buy food for monks and they have to eat it in front of you, rather than recycling the basket for the next mug

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Phanom chief Pol Col Srinakhon Naiwat said there were just a few bad apples and so far only warnings had been handed out. 

There's the problem, Naiwat should do his job and start making arrests ????

they involved in scheme too

This is nearly as bad as the Flowers that are sold, placed by the worshipers for merit, and then a gang of Guys collects them and takes them back for resale again, and again, and again.

6 hours ago, rooster59 said:

There is a multi-decade tradition of selling items for prayers at the temple and the rogues who are there are part of a mafia group, they claimed.

So get the police to do their job and move them out.... unless.....?

This is the temple that is supposed to contain buddhas breast bone and you will get a lot more merit from your gold leaf, joss-sticks, candles, flowers and mafia for your baht ????

2 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

This is nearly as bad as the Flowers that are sold, placed by the worshipers for merit, and then a gang of Guys collects them and takes them back for resale again, and again, and again.

A common occurrence, I watched it last weekend at a popular Wat in Chainat while waiting for the gf and her mother.

 

I suppose some would say that it is the giving of the offering that matters and better than just putting cash in a box, also cuts down on waste of flowers and the other offerings.

 

It appears to be a scam initially but is all done openly and nobody seems to worry about it. Seems strange to our Western minds but remember Thais think differently and gives them a good feeling so why not ?

 

Note: I don’t partake in any of these financial offerings, not my religion so am not pressured either, I’m just the designated driver !!

2 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

Flowers that are sold,

I thought everyone knew it was not a purchase but a rental... why would you care? 

6 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

My vote is that if you buy food for monks and they have to eat it in front of you

 

Don't they only eat before sunrise and after sunset? 

 

 

As well as abstaining from cigarettes, alcohol, using money or having any sex, of course. 

13 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

I suppose some would say that it is the giving of the offering that matters and better than just putting cash in a box, also cuts down on waste of flowers and the other offerings.

Yes.  The merit is made by giving the thing.  It doesn't really matter if they are being reused or not.

 

It's like with the releasing the birds.  People think it is doing a good thing because the birds are being released, but the birds would never have been caught and put in a cage if it weren't for people wanting to release them and the birds suffer more form being in the cage.  The net suffering of the birds is more than if they were never caught in the first place and the people that pay to release them cause that suffering.  So anyone who pays to release the birds is actually doing more harm than good and must surely be accruing negative karma.  But they don't see it that way.

1 hour ago, BangkokReady said:

Yes.  The merit is made by giving the thing.  It doesn't really matter if they are being reused or not.

 

It's like with the releasing the birds.  People think it is doing a good thing because the birds are being released, but the birds would never have been caught and put in a cage if it weren't for people wanting to release them and the birds suffer more form being in the cage.  The net suffering of the birds is more than if they were never caught in the first place and the people that pay to release them cause that suffering.  So anyone who pays to release the birds is actually doing more harm than good and must surely be accruing negative karma.  But they don't see it that way.

I'm totally with you. This practice is cruel and makes no "merit making" sense.

A long time ago, in my early days in BKK I was visiting one of those big BKK temples and I tried to convey as best as I could my dislike about this cruelly idiotic "merit making" practice to a well-dressed Thai lady who had just bought the "release" of a cage of these unfortunate creatures. The blank look she gave me! I'd leave the matter alone these days as indeed those temple bird catchers could be nasty if you interfere with their activity.

I once read that these birds are fed marijuana seeds so that after their brief freedom flight they'll come down to earth dizzy and be easily harvested again.

 

14 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Seems strange to our Western minds

Not really.

In Lourdes/France, offered candles are taking away about something like 2-3 minutes, depending how crowdy it is.

They are remelted and put for sale.

No believer/follower seems to object to this practice.

13 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

Don't they only eat before sunrise and after sunset? 

I think you are confused maybe with Muslims during Ramadan.

 

Monks can eat up until midday.

2 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

Yes.  The merit is made by giving the thing.  It doesn't really matter if they are being reused or not.

 

It's like with the releasing the birds.  People think it is doing a good thing because the birds are being released, but the birds would never have been caught and put in a cage if it weren't for people wanting to release them and the birds suffer more form being in the cage.  The net suffering of the birds is more than if they were never caught in the first place and the people that pay to release them cause that suffering.  So anyone who pays to release the birds is actually doing more harm than good and must surely be accruing negative karma.  But they don't see it that way.

You are completely right. Better to take this money and buy for instance a grilled chicken. It can't fly away and has a good taste. How was its life before my stomach? It was even killed for me. Bad karma? Forget it. Where is the mustard?

3 hours ago, Oldie said:

Better to take this money and buy for instance a grilled chicken.

I know you're joking, but there is actually probably less suffering involved in the grilled chicken, if it is killed quickly and humanely.

 

And if you buy one for you and one for the monk, baby, you've got some merit going!