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Thailand Live Monday 22 Jul 2013

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webfact Grand Master Member

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July 22nd
ASALAHA BUCHA DAY
HONORING SANGHA DAY

The Full Moon Day of The Asalaha (the eighth lunar month)

After The Lord Buddha enlighten on the full moon day of the sixth lunar month (Visakha), he spent seven weeks near by the Bodhi Tree. Afterward, he decided to teach the Dhamma to the others, even though there were difficulties for ordinary people to understand. His former teachers were dead, the next group of people he thought of were five ascetics called "Pancavaggi", group of five, who, at that time, lived in a forest named "Isippatanamarukatayawan", the deer park near Baranasi.

On the day before the full moon day of the eighth lunar month, Asalaha, there he was. The next day, the full moon day, The Lord Buddha gave them his FIRST SERMON called "Dhamma-cakkappavattana Sutta" or the Discourse on Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion. Not long after that, the head of the Five Ascetics, named "Kondanna" got "The Eye of Dhamma" and asked for ordination from The Lord Buddha. He became the FIRST MONK in Buddhism. The full moon day of the eighth lunar month became the day that honored the Sangha, or the community of the monks.

ACTIVITIES TO BE OBSERVED ON ASALAHA BUCHA DAY

'TUM BOON': Making merit by going to temples for special observances, making merit, listening to Dhamma preaching, giving some donations and join in the other Buddhist activities.

'RUB SIL': Keeping the Five Precepts, including abstinence from alcoholic drinks and all kinds of immoral acts.

'TUK BARD': Offering food to the monks and novices (in the alm bowl).

Practice of renuciation: Observe the Eight Precepts, practice of meditation and mental discipline, stay in the temple, wearing white robes, for a number of days.

VIEN TIEN': Attending the Candle Light Procession around the Uposatha Hall, in the evening of the Vesak full moon day.

July 23rd
Buddhist Lent Day (Wan Khao Phansa)

The Buddhist rainy season. The rain retreat or Buddhist Lent is marked by two major religious events : one for the entering of the rainy season called "WAN KHAO PHANSA" and for the exit of the rainy season called "WAN OK PHANSA" .

During the rainy season, i.e. three months, approximately July, August, September (depending on lunar months), monks aren't allowed to sleep outside their temple and cannot defrock. This tradition is coming from old times when Buddha stayed in temples during rainy season to avoid killing insects or growing seeds. It is a period for study, meditation and to teach new monks. They are allowed to go out during the day but they must sleep in the same temple every night during three months.

Ordination

Still many Thai men become monks before the rain retreat as it offers a three months time to study the Dharma .

A few days before "WAN KHAO PHANSA", Thai people buy big candles. These candles should by pair. One for the buyer and one to get a mate for next life. When buying the wax candles, the candle is decorated with dragon, flowers and so on...

Donations

One day before the beginning of the Buddhist lent, there is Asalabucha day .This day commemorates the first sermon of Buddha to his five first disciples. One of them asked for being a monk. So this day is sacred because it deals with Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

Thai people gather in the temple in order to listen to the Dharma. Temples are really crowded for "WAN KHAO PHANSA".

Buddhist sermon

During the Buddhist sermon, some laymen and laywomen prepare the trays dedicated to the monks.

Giving alms

When the Buddhist sermon is finished, Thai people are queuing to fill monks bowl with food.

Giving alms

Thai people are queuing in order to give their donations to the abbot. They offer wax candles but also monk robe, food, lotus flowers, buckets full of useful goods and so on... A Thai greeting towards the monk ( "WAI" ) shall be done before and after the donation.

Candle donation

The Candle Wax procession ("PHITI HAE PRASAT PEUNG" ) in Ubon Ratchatani is the most famous Candle Wax procession in Thailand. There is a night and day parad of huge wax candles. Those wax candles are big enough to last three months during a rain retreat season.

Soon, the abbot is submerged with donations. As usual, some laymen gather the donations in order that new donators can offer their wax candle.

Candle donation

After receiving the donations, the abbot blesses the crowd by sprinkling lustral water (NAM MON) on people. Lustral water is water that has been infused with magical powers or has received a blessing from monks. Thais believe that those who drink lustral water or have it sprinkled on their head, the most sacred part of the body, will be blessed.

Benediction

A thin bamboo stripes is used in Buddhist temples when abbots dip a bunch of it in holy water and sprinkle it on the faithful congregation. it carry the holy water well so giving the blessing of the dharma far and wide.

"VIEN TIEN" happens in the evening. During this ceremony, people turn around the temple three times with a candle in the hand.

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-- 2013-07-22

webfact Grand Master Member

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Today & Tuesday is a public holiday in Thailand

RT@RichardBarrow: Sale of alcohol in Thailand is banned until midnight on Tuesday. Fine is ฿10,000 and/or 6 months in prison

RT @RichardBarrow: Today & Tue is a public holiday in Thailand. The sale of alcohol is forbidden until midnight on Tuesday.

RT @RichardBarrow: Govt offices like Thai Immigration are closed until Wed. Banks will re-open on Tuesday. Shopping malls open as normal.

Markets in Thailand are closed Monday for a public holiday /AFP

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POLITICS
Pheu Thai, reds play down 'people's bill'
Political Desk
The Nation

MP Worachai's amnesty draft finds more favour with ruling party, UDD protest leaders

BANGKOK: -- The Pheu Thai Party and the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD, or red shirts) will fully back an amnesty bill proposed by party MP Wora-chai Hema which was forwarded in April as the first bill on Parliament's agenda when the House reconvenes on August 1.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/655305-pheu-thai-red-shirts-play-down-peoples-bill/

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New strategy adopted to fight dengue: spray areas promptly
The Nation

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BANGKOK: -- THE PUBLIC Health Ministry has announced a new protocol that will be used to control the spread of dengue fever and destroy mosquito larvae.

Public Health Minister Pradit Sinthawanarong said his ministry would use the 3-3-1 protocol to control the disease. Under the protocol, hospitals must report to the area disease control department within three hours every time a dengue-fever patient is admitted. Mosquito larvae in the infected area would then be destroyed and an investigation team would then move in. It would be given one day to bring the virus in the area under control.

Pradit's deputy, Sopon Mekthon, said that 45 per cent of mosquito larvae was found on school premises, while 29 per cent had been reported at hospitals. The two locations were the most common for mosquito larvae and should therefore be targeted in each province for mosquito nests, Sopon said.

Mosquito larvae needs to be killed every seven days in order to keep control of the disease.

Deputy permanent secretary for Public Health, Sopon Mekthon, said it was a good sign that the number of dengue-fever patients appeared to be dropping. From July 9 to 16, up to 6,000 dengue fever cases had been reported, compared to some 8,000 patients the week before.

The provinces with the highest incidence of dengue were: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Songkhla, Chiang Rai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phetchabun, Si Sa Ket, Roi Et and Nakhon Phanom.

People who experience a high fever that does not return to normal within two days, should see a doctor, he said.

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-- The Nation 2013-07-22

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2 killed in South despite ceasefire
The Nation

PATTANI: -- THE DEADLY insurgency continued in the deep South yesterday with a couple gunned down in broad daylight in Narathiwat's Rangae district and a defence volunteer seriously wounded in Pattani's Sai Buri district.

The attacks took place despite the promise of a separatist group, the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), to abstain from violence during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Lt-General Paradorn Pattanatha-butr, chief of the Thai team in the peace dialogue with the BRN, said he would report them to the Malaysian side, which acts as the facilitator of the rapprochement talks with BRN.

Paradorn also referred to a complaint filed by the BRN to Malaysian facilitator Ahmad Zamzamin bin Hashim. The BRN accused the Thai side of breaching the Ramadan ceasefire agreement. "I already sent a letter to Ahmad explaining and denying the allegations," Paradorn added.

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-- The Nation 2013-07-22

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Monks moved out as search goes on for Wirapol
The Nation

SI SA KET: -- The provincial monastic office in Si Sa Ket is checking whether property at Wat Pa Khanti Tham - founded by Wirapol Sukpol - has been moved away unlawfully, after it ordered that resident monks could not stay at the temple during the three-month Buddhist Lent that begins tomorrow.

The monks, disciples of Wirapol when he was known as Luang Pu Nenkham, have been invited to stay during the holiday at Wat Pa Sri Samran or other temples, said Phra Khru Thammathorn Khamkai, secretary to the Si Sa Ket monastic chief.

Originally there were 25 disciples at the temple but there are only six now. The office is deciding what to do with this group, some of whom insisted on staying at the temple during the holiday. Other temples could be chosen for them to live in during the three-month period, said the monk.

A source said the property may have been moved from Wat Pa Khanti Tham at the order of Wirapol to hide it from the coming inspection by the Department of Special Investigation and the Anti Money-Laundering Office. A number of people who still have faith in Wirapol have also collected his statuettes or images.

A senior DSI agent, Phong-in Intharakhao, said Wirapol was likely to be still in the US. If not, he may be at other locations including Europe, as speculated publicly by DSI director-general Tarit Pengdith.

He said a lead that Wirapol donated a bus to the Thai Red Cross Society was being probed, as well as another lead about a house being built in Ubon Ratchathani for a woman said to be a mistress of the former monk.

Tarit said he was awaiting a decision by US authorities to revoke Wirapol's visa after the Foreign Minister cancelled his passport last Friday. The DSI, which took over the Wirapol case from police, has not decided on how to apprehend the former monk if or when his visa is revoked by the US, he added.

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-- The Nation 2013-07-22

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A roaring success: 2013 Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek

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Oi! on their way to seven wins from eight races, and winners of IRC Racing I.

PHUKET: -- Winds gusting to 20 knots made for a perfect end to what has turned into one of the best Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek's yet. The weather conditions delivered fast and exciting racing throughout and after four days, the sailors of more than 15 nationalities were tired and happy.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/655310-a-roaring-success-2013-cape-panwa-hotel-phuket-raceweek/

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RT @RichardBarrow: Today & Tue is a public holiday in Thailand. The sale of alcohol is forbidden until midnight on Tuesday.

RT @RichardBarrow: Govt offices like Thai Immigration are closed until Wed. Banks will re-open on Tuesday. Shopping malls open as normal.

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RT @mpoppel: BREAKING -- BNO News: Chinese government confirms at least 2 dead, 1 wounded in Gansu quake. Rescue efforts continuing.

RT @MCOT_Eng: Buddhists nationwide make merit to mark Asanha Bucha Day; Buddhamonthon organises almsgiving for 986 monks

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Phuket charity B115,000 richer thanks to Pride Week

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Phuket charity B115,000 richer thanks to Pride Week

PHUKET: -- On July 13, members of the Phuket Loves You Club (PLU) visited the Life Home Project Foundation in Phuket to present a cheque for B115,369.31 – around 50 per cent of the money raised during Phuket Pride Week 2013.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/655327-phuket-charity-b115000-richer-thanks-to-pride-week/

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Could Thailand become the first Asian country to legalize same-sex civil unions?
By Alexander Hotz

BANGKOK: -- Gay rights activists in Thailand recently received some good news. Proposed legislation offering same-sex couples the same legal rights as heterosexual married couples is heading to parliament.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/655331-could-thailand-become-the-first-asian-country-to-legalize-same-sex-civil-unions/

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Anti-Thai military banners, spray-painted messages on roads, bridges in 38 locations in 8 Narathiwat districts; EOD units inspect before removing banners /MCOT

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Russian tourist saved from Phuket killer rip, flash warning issued
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- A proposal to post “Double Red Flag Rip Current” warnings at Phuket beaches gained momentum yesterday after a fit Russian tourist ignored a red warning flag and was caught in a flash rip, leading to a daring and dangerous rescue by members of the Surin-Bangtao Surf Lifesaving Club.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/655337-russian-tourist-saved-from-phuket-killer-rip-flash-warning-issued/

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