interesting live coverage (although they never said when it was really filmed) late last night on ITV :

South Pattaya road, market (24/7) opposite the temple : 04.00am some 'monks' come to get their contribution from people : money, food...

the food they give back to one shop who gives them an equivalent in cash, and sells the food again, to be again given to 'monks'...

around 06.00am the real monks come.

several people interviewed and testing, that those who come at 04.00 am are not real 'monks', but people skimming people, and that this skam has been ongoing since about 5 years.

mayor - in an interview - promisses to stop it, and suddenly police show up, brings all monks to the temple, where they find out, that 3 of them are no monks.

they are sent home to their village, lady's shop is closed, but in interviews people say :

"it doesn't help sending them home, new ones will come and do the same"

the monks from the temple state, they are not going out before 06.00am! and that's a shame, to skim devot people.

I've never seen real monks return alms for a refund. I would have thought the police would take stronger action than that.

cv

interesting live coverage (although they never said when it was really filmed) late last night on ITV :

South Pattaya road, market (24/7) opposite the temple : 04.00am some 'monks' come to get their contribution from people : money, food...

the food they give back to one shop who gives them an equivalent in cash, and sells the food again, to be again given to 'monks'...

around 06.00am the real monks come.

several people interviewed and testing, that those who come at 04.00 am are not real 'monks', but people skimming people, and that this skam has been ongoing since about 5 years.

mayor - in an interview - promisses to stop it, and suddenly police show up, brings all monks to the temple, where they find out, that 3 of them are no monks.

they are sent home to their village, lady's shop is closed, but in interviews people say :

"it doesn't help sending them home, new ones will come and do the same"

the monks from the temple state, they are not going out before 06.00am! and that's a shame, to skim devot people.

Its a real shame, some people aim to tarnish something so good. I hope people can see past this and continue making merit as has gone on for centuries.

I've never seen real monks return alms for a refund. I would have thought the police would take stronger action than that.

cv

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As I understand it the ordinary police have little authority over monks.

Before a monk can be charged with any crime, me must put aside the safron robe!

However there are a kind of police who deal with the whole religious scene.

Real monks will accept whatever they are given, even if it is too much and will go to waste.

i've seen these monks...

i may have even given to them..

there's a fair few that do the rounds at that time(double figures)

As I understand it the ordinary police have little authority over monks.

Before a monk can be charged with any crime, me must put aside the safron robe!

I don't think these are real monks though. I thought there were special laws dealing with the protection of buddhism and dealing with scams, impersonations, etc.?

cv

I hope people can see past this and continue making merit as has gone on for centuries.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't worry, Buddhism and the traditions of making merit in Thailand are boundlessly stronger than a small scam like this. Your thoughts are very kind. The reality is that Buddhism and "merit making" in Thailand is on powerfully strong national and cultural foundations, it is the core fabric of the entire society.

On a Buddhist note, the "merit makers" have good intentions when they gave to the "Monks"..., the "Fraud Monks" actually stole the money from the Temple, not the merit makers (my opinion).