I see the moon is full and the last one before Loy Kratong Festival. This marks the end of Buddhist Lent (Auk Pansa), and the time good Buddhists line up in many towns and villages and make merit offerings to the monks.

In my Thai wife's village offerings of rice are poured directly into the offering bowls. Here In Chiang Rai City my family are currently sat around on a mat and sealing up very small plastic bags filled with about a tablespoon full of rice each. This is probably happening in most households in the land. Surely in an age when there are so many concerns about global warming, and unnecessary use of energy this practice should be banned Kingdom wide. This would be of service to the future good of the planet and save a lot of time and energy on behalf of the good worshipers who labouriously fill the bags, and to the monks themselves who have to empty them before feasting on all the good fare on offer. If this action is, in itself, an act of merit making maybe a bio-degradable alternative other than the dreaded plastic could surely be found to pack the rice, or, if not, then pour the rice the old way directly into the bowls.

If anyone in authority reads this and agrees, then please let it be known to the Buddhist hierarchy, so helping in a small way to save our planet. Or just get this message to your local abbot.

banana leaves

banana leaves

We have plenty of these, when I suggested them they just looked at me as if crazy!

The Thai's love for the plastic bag knows no bounds. Basically the majority of the people are simple rural folk and do not fully comprehend the concept of conservation. They see no connection between their simple little plastic bag and the trash mountains that threaten to engulf their land. Oh it's only one little plastic bag they will exclaim conveniently forgetting one bag times 60 million people equals a bluddy big heap. Education is the answer but we know the uphill struggle that presents.

Yes and I do know that we in the west aren't squeaky clean but that shouldn't stop others from attempting to reach the ideal.