Belligerent Novices

[leisurely]

I seem to meet the same two every morning at around 6.30. They are both young (around 9 year old I would say) and seem to take a delight in blocking my exit from the sub soi that I live in. I need to get a taxi every morning and if I were paranoid I would say they wait for me so that they can hinder my progress.

I usually manage to walk around them in a non confrontational way, but they then start to talk in Thai to each other about the farang! I do get a bit annoyed by it. Oddly enough it is only ever these two, there is no other way out of our road so I can't even leave by a different exit. The other monks on their alms route are fine, I wonder if it is an age thing. It has been going on for about 3 weeks now and I am assuming it brightens up their morning. Make the fat farang dance! They give me really hard stares ecven though I don't think that the sangha are supposed to look at women. I am really not going out of my way to agitate this and I expect they are disappointed at the weekend when I am not there.

Actually the title should be just beligerant, they aren't agressive.

Edited June 2, 2007 by sabaijai

[cdnvic]

They are just novices, not really monks. They're only kids acting their age and I imagine they will get bored of it soon. If you are friendly with a Thai neighbour then a sharp word from them would likely have more effect on the little saffron-clad brats.

[sbk]

Or get a Thai person to have a word with the abbot. This is inappropriate behavior even for novices.

[mikethevigoman]

I seem to meet the same two every morning at around 6.30. They are both young (around 9 year old I would say) and seem to take a delight in blocking my exit from the sub soi that I live in. I need to get a taxi every morning and if I were paranoid I would say they wait for me so that they can hinder my progress.

I usually manage to walk around them in a non confrontational way, but they then start to talk in Thai to each other about the farang! I do get a bit annoyed by it. Oddly enough it is only ever these two, there is no other way out of our road so I can't even leave by a different exit. The other monks on their alms route are fine, I wonder if it is an age thing. It has been going on for about 3 weeks now and I am assuming it brightens up their morning. Make the fat farang dance! They give me really hard stares ecven though I don't think that the sangha are supposed to look at women. I am really not going out of my way to agitate this and I expect they are disappointed at the weekend when I am not there.

Actually the title should be just beligerant, they aren't agressive.

Im assuming you are a lady,smile and go to shake hands with one, if im right they are not allowed to touch a female and they will probably back off,..

[cm-happy]

If they're young kids, they're NOT MONKS, but Nans, novices.

Try to find out what temple they are from and definately speak to the Abbot. He'l take care of it in short order.

[leisurely]

Thanks for the responses, I'll see if I can track down the Wat, I know roughly where it is. How about asking one of the older 'real' monks to have a word. I truly don't want these kids to get into trouble - which I imagine would happen if I attempted to speak to the abbot. Sometimes one of the older men walk past while these kids are blocking my path, if I ask him to intervene it may be better than going to the big boss.

[cm-happy]

Leisurly--forgot to ask & you didnt say if the two kids are dressed in traditional Monk attire. If they are then they are infact Nan & a talk with the Abbot would be more appropriate.

If dressed in street cloths regardless of color, then they're probably just Dek Wat, Temple boy or Monk helpser. Then it might be appropriate to try to speak with the Monks.

If this is the case & the situation doesnt improve then speak with the Abbot.

[leisurely]

Yes they are presumably novices because they wear orange robes and have bowls to collect alms. I'll try to talk to one of the older monks about them if they are there tomorrow and monitor the situation, if it doesn't improve I'll try to talk to the abbot (would he even talk to me?) I think I'll take my camera in the morning too.

[sbk]

Yes, just need another person present is all. Same if you talk to the monk as well, make sure another person is present.

[leisurely]

An update for the interested. I did take my camera and pretended to take photographs of thing one and thing two. Both scarpered pretty quickly (albeit in a controlled way) and I've never seen them again since last Tuesday.

[qualtrough]

How about just barreling through next time they block your way? Do you think the 9 year olds might hurt you?

[cdnvic]

How about just barreling through next time they block your way? Do you think the 9 year olds might hurt you?

A bit of peaceful trickery with the camera seems to have worked better than puffing your chest out and showing these nine year old boys just how tough you are.

What kind of relationship are you going to have in the neighbourhood after someone sees you shoving young novice monks?

[sbk]

leisurely is a woman. Hence the idea that the abbot needs to be dealing with these boys.

[qualtrough]

How about just barreling through next time they block your way? Do you think the 9 year olds might hurt you?

A bit of peaceful trickery with the camera seems to have worked better than puffing your chest out and showing these nine year old boys just how tough you are.

What kind of relationship are you going to have in the neighbourhood after someone sees you shoving young novice monks?

I wouldn't worry much about the neighbors if those same neighbors don't seem to be bothered about the 9 year old mini-monks harassing a woman. At any rate, I just find it hard to believe that a woman or a man would be in fear of two 9 year old Thai boys.

[cdnvic]

How about just barreling through next time they block your way? Do you think the 9 year olds might hurt you?

A bit of peaceful trickery with the camera seems to have worked better than puffing your chest out and showing these nine year old boys just how tough you are.

What kind of relationship are you going to have in the neighbourhood after someone sees you shoving young novice monks?

I wouldn't worry much about the neighbors if those same neighbors don't seem to be bothered about the 9 year old mini-monks harassing a woman. At any rate, I just find it hard to believe that a woman or a man would be in fear of two 9 year old Thai boys.

It wasn't fear of these boys it was a cultural issue of a female not being allowed to touch a monk and these two brats taking advantage of it. When they were in danger of being exposed they fled. Problem solved, not violence needed.

Sometimes thinking works far better than acting violently to every problem.