Young tourists performing yoga at sacred temple criticised in Thai media

Nakajima · January 6, 2015

Re: AnotherOneAmercican's comment re being amazed at what "some youngsters in the west get up to on the grass outside (otherwise known as the graveyard". No, I wouldn't, but that doesn't make it appropriate where ever 'there' was or here in Thailand!

Re: Bluespunk's "If they are doing something wrong then say so to their face instead of this cowardly, chicken crud online BS outrage campaign", with respect, I suggest that he knows full well that confrontation is not something Thais are comfortable with, especially with "outsiders" except under extreme circumstances. Hell, I'm not comfortable with it either and I'm not Thai. If these youth had been, say, urinating on a statue of Buddha, I would not be surprised if a confrontation (and physical one,at that) was initiated by aThai (joined by falangs, including yours truly, as well!!).

Re: PaddyJenkins "....another racist, over sensitive thai taking their oh so precious culture a little too seriously?" How is it racist to complain about actions one finds offensive? You don't seriously suggest that any person who complains of another's behaviour is a racist simply because they are not of the same race as the "offender"? Over sensitive? In your mind....but not in the mind of many, if not all Thai's I suspect. And, for reasons I will expand upon later, not in my mind either, for I find their actions were offensive! . "precious culture" Hmmmm! A slight tone of some unvoiced resentment, is there? Too seriously. Again, in your mind! "...choice between some Chinese tourist publicly defecating.....some young Thais doing yoga... example of good, clean living people. Looking back over PaddyJenkins comment in its entirety, I get the feeling that ole PaddyJ just might be a tad racist!

and finally

Re: Jeremy50's "They look nice. When will people get off their high horse about religion and national borders." a) Eye of the beholder in the venue seen. Probably never!! I gave up a long time answering the question as to where I was from by saying "I'm an Earthman from this World" and as to what religon I espouse "Agnosticism". Now I will be as forthcoming on either question as any listeners and circumstances desire or will allow.

The credo "when in Rome......" contains sage advice for the most part. That doesn't mean assuming the bad traits of your chosen country to live, but it does mean respecting and abiding by cultural mores as well as the laws of the land. Walking around on the beach shirtless is perfectly okay! Walking around shirtless elsewhere is usually frowned upon and, I believe, that it can result in a modest fine if a police officer were so inclined as to enforce the law with regard to one's attire in the public areas. Walking around shirtless (not sure about tight leotards as to acceptability.....someone more knowledgeable than I might put in a word about that?) anywhere within a Wat is, I believe, totally unacceptable! If you have visited the "Big Buddha" in Chalong, you will have noted that, prior to entering the grounds proper, proper dressware is required and any clothing required to bring the visitor up to the required dress code is provided free of charge. While performing yoga in a public venue would not be frowned upon except where doing so would interfere with traffic or people in that public venue, a Wat is NOT what I would think of as being a "public" place in the usual sense of the word. That is to say, a street, a park, a mall are all public places where certain decorum is expected but are not places of worship. A place of worship, whether or not, the visitor is practioner of the faith in that place of worsip has no bearing, I submit. One may attend in a Catholic Church or on the grounds immediately outside that church and not be a Catholic, but would still be expected to behave in a manner acceptable to Catholics. I.E. To NOT get up in the middle of a service and starting singing as done in some churches of a....more relaxed atmosphere, shall we say. I refer to churches whose followers are referred to (and I mean no disrespect here) by some as "Holy Rollers" because of the fact that a good portion of their church attendance involves veryh enthusiastic singing and dancing in and around the aisles and pews of their church!

So, may we agree that these young people were dressed inappropriately (at least the shirtless ones) and that their gymnastics (I don't believe that it was 'yoga', although whether or not it was would not alter anything as to acceptability, in my opinion) was unacceptable behaviour on or in a Wat. If not, well............we disagree and must agree to disagree until one or other of us are enlightened)

If we agree, then the only issue left is whether or not it was appropriate for not only the behaviours to be published on such public venues as Facebook, but for their photos to be shown as well. In my humble opinion, I find nothing wrong with this incident being made public and thereby bringing to the attention of persons who otherwise would be ignorant as to the perceived disrespect seen in such behaviour, the wrongfulness of their actions. There are countless examples of incidents being reported upon in the social and other media involving behaviour which has upset someone...and these examples are worldwide in origin, so let's not even suggest that this is limited in any way to Thailand or the Thai people.

As to photos of the "offenders" Again, I refer to the countless examples of publications on Facebook where verbal accounts of an incident together with photographic documentation is provided. Such photographic documentation, to the best of my recollection, has seldom if ever, afforded the people anonymity EXCEPT where the publication has been made by news media such as CNN, for example. Perhaps, if these participants had been expressing any interest in their anonymity, I might be open to the suggestion that their facial features be hidden or blurred as we have seen done by our news media in certain circumstances. Having said that, an argument in favour of rendering their facial features unidentifiable that might more easily win my approval, would be to argue that they did not realize that their actions were disrespectful let alone the degree or gravity of such disrespect. Therefore, while they did commit these acts with full knowledge of them being visible to the public, they should be given the benefit of the doubt and treated as though they would not have acted in this manner had they known! In other words, the punishment should fit the crime!

Bottom line? Publish such incidents without hesitation anywhere, anytime they occur. If you don't complain, you are giving your tacit permission! Complaints don’t have to be made via personal confrontation with “offenders”, and in fact, often such confrontation is best avoided.

Publish visual documentation in support of such incidents in such a manner as to NOT make the "offender(s)" identifiable UNLESS,

the act is of such nature that any reasonable person would know it to be wrong. i.e. in the stated example (did it really happen?!) of some guy "publicly defecating" or the story about someone "spitting on a Buddha statue". An even better example is the incident which was videoed, of the mug who physically hassled a tourist because she hadn't rented a beach chair. The video not only documented the crime, made possible identification of the criminal, but led to his arrest and subsequent deportation, none of which, I dare say, would have occurred had the video not been made public. OR

the act was knowingly committed in public view AND

the person committing the act is "compos mentis" i.e of sound mind...not say, so hammered to the gills that they may not even remember doing the act and would likely never have done so if they had been sober)

With respect, there is no need to be confrontational when politely pointing out when someone is being insensitive. Seen it happen at temples in past when people dressed inappropriately. It is doable and is done.

To take offense and do nothing at the time, but then post it on line later is the actions of a 'behind your back finger pointing gossip'.

It is cowardly and contemptible.

You don't like something then say so. To the persons face. Politely. In a non confrontational manner.

If they then ignore you, fair enough, post away.

most thais consider that to be confrontation and are not comfortable doing that. expecting them to act in the same manner as you think proper is arrogant

Hello World!

We are Thai and we are not confrontational!

Jungle Jim · January 6, 2015

Your just what Thailand needs less of. I will give you a hint that might just help you survive here a few days longer. YOU ARE A GUEST HERE IN THEIR COUNTRY. Don,t agree with the rules GET LOST !

Buddhism when it suits them...

Ive been to temples and its a tinnea infested workout

As for the rest of the time, flouting laws and inaction to do diddly squat about being "done" by their police, govt officials and anyone else with some form of power.

Perhaps they should direct their anger inwards and fix their own problems instead of watching how "free" and "loving life" farangs are

AYJAYDEE · January 6, 2015

Re: AnotherOneAmercican's comment re being amazed at what "some youngsters in the west get up to on the grass outside (otherwise known as the graveyard". No, I wouldn't, but that doesn't make it appropriate where ever 'there' was or here in Thailand!

Re: Bluespunk's "If they are doing something wrong then say so to their face instead of this cowardly, chicken crud online BS outrage campaign", with respect, I suggest that he knows full well that confrontation is not something Thais are comfortable with, especially with "outsiders" except under extreme circumstances. Hell, I'm not comfortable with it either and I'm not Thai. If these youth had been, say, urinating on a statue of Buddha, I would not be surprised if a confrontation (and physical one,at that) was initiated by aThai (joined by falangs, including yours truly, as well!!).

Re: PaddyJenkins "....another racist, over sensitive thai taking their oh so precious culture a little too seriously?" How is it racist to complain about actions one finds offensive? You don't seriously suggest that any person who complains of another's behaviour is a racist simply because they are not of the same race as the "offender"? Over sensitive? In your mind....but not in the mind of many, if not all Thai's I suspect. And, for reasons I will expand upon later, not in my mind either, for I find their actions were offensive! . "precious culture" Hmmmm! A slight tone of some unvoiced resentment, is there? Too seriously. Again, in your mind! "...choice between some Chinese tourist publicly defecating.....some young Thais doing yoga... example of good, clean living people. Looking back over PaddyJenkins comment in its entirety, I get the feeling that ole PaddyJ just might be a tad racist!

and finally

Re: Jeremy50's "They look nice. When will people get off their high horse about religion and national borders." a) Eye of the beholder in the venue seen. Probably never!! I gave up a long time answering the question as to where I was from by saying "I'm an Earthman from this World" and as to what religon I espouse "Agnosticism". Now I will be as forthcoming on either question as any listeners and circumstances desire or will allow.

The credo "when in Rome......" contains sage advice for the most part. That doesn't mean assuming the bad traits of your chosen country to live, but it does mean respecting and abiding by cultural mores as well as the laws of the land. Walking around on the beach shirtless is perfectly okay! Walking around shirtless elsewhere is usually frowned upon and, I believe, that it can result in a modest fine if a police officer were so inclined as to enforce the law with regard to one's attire in the public areas. Walking around shirtless (not sure about tight leotards as to acceptability.....someone more knowledgeable than I might put in a word about that?) anywhere within a Wat is, I believe, totally unacceptable! If you have visited the "Big Buddha" in Chalong, you will have noted that, prior to entering the grounds proper, proper dressware is required and any clothing required to bring the visitor up to the required dress code is provided free of charge. While performing yoga in a public venue would not be frowned upon except where doing so would interfere with traffic or people in that public venue, a Wat is NOT what I would think of as being a "public" place in the usual sense of the word. That is to say, a street, a park, a mall are all public places where certain decorum is expected but are not places of worship. A place of worship, whether or not, the visitor is practioner of the faith in that place of worsip has no bearing, I submit. One may attend in a Catholic Church or on the grounds immediately outside that church and not be a Catholic, but would still be expected to behave in a manner acceptable to Catholics. I.E. To NOT get up in the middle of a service and starting singing as done in some churches of a....more relaxed atmosphere, shall we say. I refer to churches whose followers are referred to (and I mean no disrespect here) by some as "Holy Rollers" because of the fact that a good portion of their church attendance involves veryh enthusiastic singing and dancing in and around the aisles and pews of their church!

So, may we agree that these young people were dressed inappropriately (at least the shirtless ones) and that their gymnastics (I don't believe that it was 'yoga', although whether or not it was would not alter anything as to acceptability, in my opinion) was unacceptable behaviour on or in a Wat. If not, well............we disagree and must agree to disagree until one or other of us are enlightened)

If we agree, then the only issue left is whether or not it was appropriate for not only the behaviours to be published on such public venues as Facebook, but for their photos to be shown as well. In my humble opinion, I find nothing wrong with this incident being made public and thereby bringing to the attention of persons who otherwise would be ignorant as to the perceived disrespect seen in such behaviour, the wrongfulness of their actions. There are countless examples of incidents being reported upon in the social and other media involving behaviour which has upset someone...and these examples are worldwide in origin, so let's not even suggest that this is limited in any way to Thailand or the Thai people.

As to photos of the "offenders" Again, I refer to the countless examples of publications on Facebook where verbal accounts of an incident together with photographic documentation is provided. Such photographic documentation, to the best of my recollection, has seldom if ever, afforded the people anonymity EXCEPT where the publication has been made by news media such as CNN, for example. Perhaps, if these participants had been expressing any interest in their anonymity, I might be open to the suggestion that their facial features be hidden or blurred as we have seen done by our news media in certain circumstances. Having said that, an argument in favour of rendering their facial features unidentifiable that might more easily win my approval, would be to argue that they did not realize that their actions were disrespectful let alone the degree or gravity of such disrespect. Therefore, while they did commit these acts with full knowledge of them being visible to the public, they should be given the benefit of the doubt and treated as though they would not have acted in this manner had they known! In other words, the punishment should fit the crime!

Bottom line? Publish such incidents without hesitation anywhere, anytime they occur. If you don't complain, you are giving your tacit permission! Complaints don’t have to be made via personal confrontation with “offenders”, and in fact, often such confrontation is best avoided.

Publish visual documentation in support of such incidents in such a manner as to NOT make the "offender(s)" identifiable UNLESS,

the act is of such nature that any reasonable person would know it to be wrong. i.e. in the stated example (did it really happen?!) of some guy "publicly defecating" or the story about someone "spitting on a Buddha statue". An even better example is the incident which was videoed, of the mug who physically hassled a tourist because she hadn't rented a beach chair. The video not only documented the crime, made possible identification of the criminal, but led to his arrest and subsequent deportation, none of which, I dare say, would have occurred had the video not been made public. OR

the act was knowingly committed in public view AND

the person committing the act is "compos mentis" i.e of sound mind...not say, so hammered to the gills that they may not even remember doing the act and would likely never have done so if they had been sober)

With respect, there is no need to be confrontational when politely pointing out when someone is being insensitive. Seen it happen at temples in past when people dressed inappropriately. It is doable and is done.

To take offense and do nothing at the time, but then post it on line later is the actions of a 'behind your back finger pointing gossip'.

It is cowardly and contemptible.

You don't like something then say so. To the persons face. Politely. In a non confrontational manner.

If they then ignore you, fair enough, post away.

most thais consider that to be confrontation and are not comfortable doing that. expecting them to act in the same manner as you think proper is arrogant

Hello World!

We are Thai and we are not confrontational!

they are shy of farang.

Bluespunk · January 6, 2015

With respect, there is no need to be confrontational when politely pointing out when someone is being insensitive. Seen it happen at temples in past when people dressed inappropriately. It is doable and is done.

To take offense and do nothing at the time, but then post it on line later is the actions of a 'behind your back finger pointing gossip'.

It is cowardly and contemptible.

You don't like something then say so. To the persons face. Politely. In a non confrontational manner.

If they then ignore you, fair enough, post away.

most thais consider that to be confrontation and are not comfortable doing that. expecting them to act in the same manner as you think proper is arrogant

Yeah.

You said already.

I answered already.

Next

obviously, youre a slow learner

And you call me arrogant.

You have nothing to teach.

There is nothing to be learnt from you.

And yes, that is arrogance.

It's also the truth.

Luxfare · January 6, 2015

Re: AnotherOneAmercican's comment re being amazed at what "some youngsters in the west get up to on the grass outside (otherwise known as the graveyard". No, I wouldn't, but that doesn't make it appropriate where ever 'there' was or here in Thailand!

Re: Bluespunk's "If they are doing something wrong then say so to their face instead of this cowardly, chicken crud online BS outrage campaign", with respect, I suggest that he knows full well that confrontation is not something Thais are comfortable with, especially with "outsiders" except under extreme circumstances. Hell, I'm not comfortable with it either and I'm not Thai. If these youth had been, say, urinating on a statue of Buddha, I would not be surprised if a confrontation (and physical one,at that) was initiated by aThai (joined by falangs, including yours truly, as well!!).

Re: PaddyJenkins "....another racist, over sensitive thai taking their oh so precious culture a little too seriously?" How is it racist to complain about actions one finds offensive? You don't seriously suggest that any person who complains of another's behaviour is a racist simply because they are not of the same race as the "offender"? Over sensitive? In your mind....but not in the mind of many, if not all Thai's I suspect. And, for reasons I will expand upon later, not in my mind either, for I find their actions were offensive! . "precious culture" Hmmmm! A slight tone of some unvoiced resentment, is there? Too seriously. Again, in your mind! "...choice between some Chinese tourist publicly defecating.....some young Thais doing yoga... example of good, clean living people. Looking back over PaddyJenkins comment in its entirety, I get the feeling that ole PaddyJ just might be a tad racist!

and finally

Re: Jeremy50's "They look nice. When will people get off their high horse about religion and national borders." a) Eye of the beholder in the venue seen. Probably never!! I gave up a long time answering the question as to where I was from by saying "I'm an Earthman from this World" and as to what religon I espouse "Agnosticism". Now I will be as forthcoming on either question as any listeners and circumstances desire or will allow.

The credo "when in Rome......" contains sage advice for the most part. That doesn't mean assuming the bad traits of your chosen country to live, but it does mean respecting and abiding by cultural mores as well as the laws of the land. Walking around on the beach shirtless is perfectly okay! Walking around shirtless elsewhere is usually frowned upon and, I believe, that it can result in a modest fine if a police officer were so inclined as to enforce the law with regard to one's attire in the public areas. Walking around shirtless (not sure about tight leotards as to acceptability.....someone more knowledgeable than I might put in a word about that?) anywhere within a Wat is, I believe, totally unacceptable! If you have visited the "Big Buddha" in Chalong, you will have noted that, prior to entering the grounds proper, proper dressware is required and any clothing required to bring the visitor up to the required dress code is provided free of charge. While performing yoga in a public venue would not be frowned upon except where doing so would interfere with traffic or people in that public venue, a Wat is NOT what I would think of as being a "public" place in the usual sense of the word. That is to say, a street, a park, a mall are all public places where certain decorum is expected but are not places of worship. A place of worship, whether or not, the visitor is practioner of the faith in that place of worsip has no bearing, I submit. One may attend in a Catholic Church or on the grounds immediately outside that church and not be a Catholic, but would still be expected to behave in a manner acceptable to Catholics. I.E. To NOT get up in the middle of a service and starting singing as done in some churches of a....more relaxed atmosphere, shall we say. I refer to churches whose followers are referred to (and I mean no disrespect here) by some as "Holy Rollers" because of the fact that a good portion of their church attendance involves veryh enthusiastic singing and dancing in and around the aisles and pews of their church!

So, may we agree that these young people were dressed inappropriately (at least the shirtless ones) and that their gymnastics (I don't believe that it was 'yoga', although whether or not it was would not alter anything as to acceptability, in my opinion) was unacceptable behaviour on or in a Wat. If not, well............we disagree and must agree to disagree until one or other of us are enlightened)

If we agree, then the only issue left is whether or not it was appropriate for not only the behaviours to be published on such public venues as Facebook, but for their photos to be shown as well. In my humble opinion, I find nothing wrong with this incident being made public and thereby bringing to the attention of persons who otherwise would be ignorant as to the perceived disrespect seen in such behaviour, the wrongfulness of their actions. There are countless examples of incidents being reported upon in the social and other media involving behaviour which has upset someone...and these examples are worldwide in origin, so let's not even suggest that this is limited in any way to Thailand or the Thai people.

As to photos of the "offenders" Again, I refer to the countless examples of publications on Facebook where verbal accounts of an incident together with photographic documentation is provided. Such photographic documentation, to the best of my recollection, has seldom if ever, afforded the people anonymity EXCEPT where the publication has been made by news media such as CNN, for example. Perhaps, if these participants had been expressing any interest in their anonymity, I might be open to the suggestion that their facial features be hidden or blurred as we have seen done by our news media in certain circumstances. Having said that, an argument in favour of rendering their facial features unidentifiable that might more easily win my approval, would be to argue that they did not realize that their actions were disrespectful let alone the degree or gravity of such disrespect. Therefore, while they did commit these acts with full knowledge of them being visible to the public, they should be given the benefit of the doubt and treated as though they would not have acted in this manner had they known! In other words, the punishment should fit the crime!

Bottom line? Publish such incidents without hesitation anywhere, anytime they occur. If you don't complain, you are giving your tacit permission! Complaints don’t have to be made via personal confrontation with “offenders”, and in fact, often such confrontation is best avoided.

Publish visual documentation in support of such incidents in such a manner as to NOT make the "offender(s)" identifiable UNLESS,

the act is of such nature that any reasonable person would know it to be wrong. i.e. in the stated example (did it really happen?!) of some guy "publicly defecating" or the story about someone "spitting on a Buddha statue". An even better example is the incident which was videoed, of the mug who physically hassled a tourist because she hadn't rented a beach chair. The video not only documented the crime, made possible identification of the criminal, but led to his arrest and subsequent deportation, none of which, I dare say, would have occurred had the video not been made public. OR

the act was knowingly committed in public view AND

the person committing the act is "compos mentis" i.e of sound mind...not say, so hammered to the gills that they may not even remember doing the act and would likely never have done so if they had been sober)

With respect, there is no need to be confrontational when politely pointing out when someone is being insensitive. Seen it happen at temples in past when people dressed inappropriately. It is doable and is done.
To take offense and do nothing at the time, but then post it on line later is the actions of a 'behind your back finger pointing gossip'.

It is cowardly and contemptible.

You don't like something then say so. To the persons face. Politely. In a non confrontational manner.

If they then ignore you, fair enough, post away.

most thais consider that to be confrontation and are not comfortable doing that. expecting them to act in the same manner as you think proper is arrogant

Hello World!

We are Thai and we are not confrontational!

On the one hand you're saying Thai conservatives are bad and on the other hand you're saying Thais are confrontational.......Maybe the Western culture and ways have made them more confrontational?

After all I've spoken to my wife's family and they've said they've noticed a lot more street violence, crime and bad attitudes over the last 20-30 years than they ever did when they were my age.

You cannot have it both ways.

kieran2698 · January 6, 2015

Technically, the temple is a part of the Wat.

not true. the temple is the wat

No it isn't, the Chaidei is the temple, that is what it means. You will notice many small temples around Thailand, these are not Wat's, they are just temples, Wat means a lot more then just having a temple.

Somtamnication · January 6, 2015

On the one hand you're saying Thai conservatives are bad and on the other hand you're saying Thais are confrontational.......Maybe the Western culture and ways have made them more confrontational?

After all I've spoken to my wife's family and they've said they've noticed a lot more street violence, crime and bad attitudes over the last 20-30 years than they ever did when they were my age.

You cannot have it both ways.

Yep, you have been assimilated. Blame the farang!!!!

Nothing that the farangs have done over 20 or 30 years in Thailand has had any effect on the showdowns between all these rainbow coloured, gun totting, grenade throwing bunch. Just sayin'.

ravip · January 6, 2015

History has shown that when the human being develops in mind, he tends to believe in himself and in scientific facts more and tends not to believe in Gods, Deities, Prayers and the whole works involved.

On the other hand, in the undeveloped and the developing world, the natives minds are still in the 'developing' stage, hence their strong beliefs in the Gods, deities and the mythical world. If the developed beings could understand this, I am sure you could give a broad margin for these poor sods and lead a happy life, instead of resorting to such petty arguments.

Just a sayin....

Luxfare · January 6, 2015

On the one hand you're saying Thai conservatives are bad and on the other hand you're saying Thais are confrontational.......Maybe the Western culture and ways have made them more confrontational?

After all I've spoken to my wife's family and they've said they've noticed a lot more street violence, crime and bad attitudes over the last 20-30 years than they ever did when they were my age.

You cannot have it both ways.

Yep, you have been assimilated. Blame the farang!!!! alt=blink.png> alt=blink.png>

Nothing that the farangs have done over 20 or 30 years in Thailand has had any effect on the showdowns between all these rainbow coloured, gun totting, grenade throwing bunch. Just sayin'. alt=coffee1.gif width=32 height=24>

So because in this case I think the couple were slightly out of order and should have done their homework first I've been assimilated?

Out of curiousity how long have you been living here? I guess you must have been here at least 20-30 years as you seem to know exactly how the culture (not just the political aspect) has or rather hasn't IYO changed. Or let me guess, you're just a know it all. Who without any facts or previous experience refuses to budge on their initial opinion.

dazzz · January 6, 2015

Thai get offended by a company in the Netherlands, printing Buddhas on the OUTSIDE of portable loos!

Thais are offended by a Japanese punkrocker, wearing a saffron robe!

Thais are offended by this, Thais are offended by that!

Tell a Thai that you are offended by something they did and they are offended by that, too!

Time to grow up and grow a pair!

If you are offended, by what these guys did (Yoga...outside of the temple...) go and TELL them.

Otherwise, I stick with Stephen Fry:

"'It's now very common to hear people say, "I'm rather offended by that", as if that gives them certain rights. It's no more than a whine. It has no meaning, it has no purpose, it has no reason to be respected as a phrase. "I'm offended by that." Well, so <deleted> what?'

The first sensible post on here. If thais are offended by this yoga they have to stop having morlum sexy girl concerts , stop drinking low kao and beer ,stop fighting in all of the temples all of which i see on a monthly basis. I think most of the righteous drivel is from farangs in and south of bangkok who have never seen the real thailand.

My wife`s brother became a monk because his wife threw him out for adultery and he had nowhere to live. He was then thrown out of the village temple when he was seen with a woman drinking whisky and is now in a temple in udon thani where he tells me the monks sell drugs (same as the police in my village). Went to visit him one night and ended up in the town with a few monks who had changed clothes and went with us eating and drinking. Met a monk on the bus covered in tatoos who told me he had not long come out of jail for murder and since had committed more offences so became a monk to prevent the police from arresting him and said there were a lot of thais who just became monks because they were homeless or to avoid being arrested.

Thais need to clean up their own act before they criticise others for minor things . Have attached a few more photos of concert in the local temple with sexy dancers ,rubbish thrown around the buddha statue and giant sacred tree and the drunks fighting. The last photo of a man and woman having intercourse when the young boy turned the handle was offensive and embarrassing to me and should never have gone into the temple. One of the girl dancers i know and is only 14.

What is offensive to thais is farangs coming half way around the world to pay for sex with young girls and is also illegal but that would not bother most of you as much as this yoga thing

sex on a truck.JPG

This is the same in every temple i have been to north of korat. How aboout posting these photos on the thai website and ask them how they allow this to go on in their temples ,and every thai has been to these concerts and know they go on.p1.JPG 2.JPG 3.JPG 5.JPG 6.JPG

the fact that thais act disrectfully in a wat is no excuse for a farang to do so. do you have evidence the photographer acted in an unseemly manner?

Photographer ?not sure what you mean but thai culture of underage sexy girls , whisky , sex objects,lethal weapons ,violence and drugs INSIDE a temple is disrespectful in the extreme and this couple doing yoga OUTSIDE the temple is to me is not disrespectful but if it were would be very minor indeed and all thais have at some time been to an obscene concert inside a temple such as the pictures i posted/. Why has the guy not posted and complained about the things i have mentioned as i am sure he has seen it.Huge bulls and bufallos with massive erect penis and testicles with young girls sitting on them being parade in front of children . How can all this not be disrespectful but a couple doing yoga is . I am sorry but if you cannot see the hipocrisy you are blind

ravip · January 6, 2015

What country is Yoga, The Kama Sutra and Lord Gautama Buddha from?

Just sayin'...

Divers things can originate from one source - but it does not mean all of that could be put together in one 'basket'

Johnniey · January 6, 2015

Re: AnotherOneAmercican's comment re being amazed at what "some youngsters in the west get up to on the grass outside (otherwise known as the graveyard". No, I wouldn't, but that doesn't make it appropriate where ever 'there' was or here in Thailand!

Re: Bluespunk's "If they are doing something wrong then say so to their face instead of this cowardly, chicken crud online BS outrage campaign", with respect, I suggest that he knows full well that confrontation is not something Thais are comfortable with, especially with "outsiders" except under extreme circumstances. Hell, I'm not comfortable with it either and I'm not Thai. If these youth had been, say, urinating on a statue of Buddha, I would not be surprised if a confrontation (and physical one,at that) was initiated by aThai (joined by falangs, including yours truly, as well!!).

Re: PaddyJenkins "....another racist, over sensitive thai taking their oh so precious culture a little too seriously?" How is it racist to complain about actions one finds offensive? You don't seriously suggest that any person who complains of another's behaviour is a racist simply because they are not of the same race as the "offender"? Over sensitive? In your mind....but not in the mind of many, if not all Thai's I suspect. And, for reasons I will expand upon later, not in my mind either, for I find their actions were offensive! . "precious culture" Hmmmm! A slight tone of some unvoiced resentment, is there? Too seriously. Again, in your mind! "...choice between some Chinese tourist publicly defecating.....some young Thais doing yoga... example of good, clean living people. Looking back over PaddyJenkins comment in its entirety, I get the feeling that ole PaddyJ just might be a tad racist!

and finally

Re: Jeremy50's "They look nice. When will people get off their high horse about religion and national borders." a) Eye of the beholder in the venue seen. Probably never!! I gave up a long time answering the question as to where I was from by saying "I'm an Earthman from this World" and as to what religon I espouse "Agnosticism". Now I will be as forthcoming on either question as any listeners and circumstances desire or will allow.

The credo "when in Rome......" contains sage advice for the most part. That doesn't mean assuming the bad traits of your chosen country to live, but it does mean respecting and abiding by cultural mores as well as the laws of the land. Walking around on the beach shirtless is perfectly okay! Walking around shirtless elsewhere is usually frowned upon and, I believe, that it can result in a modest fine if a police officer were so inclined as to enforce the law with regard to one's attire in the public areas. Walking around shirtless (not sure about tight leotards as to acceptability.....someone more knowledgeable than I might put in a word about that?) anywhere within a Wat is, I believe, totally unacceptable! If you have visited the "Big Buddha" in Chalong, you will have noted that, prior to entering the grounds proper, proper dressware is required and any clothing required to bring the visitor up to the required dress code is provided free of charge. While performing yoga in a public venue would not be frowned upon except where doing so would interfere with traffic or people in that public venue, a Wat is NOT what I would think of as being a "public" place in the usual sense of the word. That is to say, a street, a park, a mall are all public places where certain decorum is expected but are not places of worship. A place of worship, whether or not, the visitor is practioner of the faith in that place of worsip has no bearing, I submit. One may attend in a Catholic Church or on the grounds immediately outside that church and not be a Catholic, but would still be expected to behave in a manner acceptable to Catholics. I.E. To NOT get up in the middle of a service and starting singing as done in some churches of a....more relaxed atmosphere, shall we say. I refer to churches whose followers are referred to (and I mean no disrespect here) by some as "Holy Rollers" because of the fact that a good portion of their church attendance involves veryh enthusiastic singing and dancing in and around the aisles and pews of their church!

So, may we agree that these young people were dressed inappropriately (at least the shirtless ones) and that their gymnastics (I don't believe that it was 'yoga', although whether or not it was would not alter anything as to acceptability, in my opinion) was unacceptable behaviour on or in a Wat. If not, well............we disagree and must agree to disagree until one or other of us are enlightened)

If we agree, then the only issue left is whether or not it was appropriate for not only the behaviours to be published on such public venues as Facebook, but for their photos to be shown as well. In my humble opinion, I find nothing wrong with this incident being made public and thereby bringing to the attention of persons who otherwise would be ignorant as to the perceived disrespect seen in such behaviour, the wrongfulness of their actions. There are countless examples of incidents being reported upon in the social and other media involving behaviour which has upset someone...and these examples are worldwide in origin, so let's not even suggest that this is limited in any way to Thailand or the Thai people.

As to photos of the "offenders" Again, I refer to the countless examples of publications on Facebook where verbal accounts of an incident together with photographic documentation is provided. Such photographic documentation, to the best of my recollection, has seldom if ever, afforded the people anonymity EXCEPT where the publication has been made by news media such as CNN, for example. Perhaps, if these participants had been expressing any interest in their anonymity, I might be open to the suggestion that their facial features be hidden or blurred as we have seen done by our news media in certain circumstances. Having said that, an argument in favour of rendering their facial features unidentifiable that might more easily win my approval, would be to argue that they did not realize that their actions were disrespectful let alone the degree or gravity of such disrespect. Therefore, while they did commit these acts with full knowledge of them being visible to the public, they should be given the benefit of the doubt and treated as though they would not have acted in this manner had they known! In other words, the punishment should fit the crime!

Bottom line? Publish such incidents without hesitation anywhere, anytime they occur. If you don't complain, you are giving your tacit permission! Complaints don’t have to be made via personal confrontation with “offenders”, and in fact, often such confrontation is best avoided.

Publish visual documentation in support of such incidents in such a manner as to NOT make the "offender(s)" identifiable UNLESS,

the act is of such nature that any reasonable person would know it to be wrong. i.e. in the stated example (did it really happen?!) of some guy "publicly defecating" or the story about someone "spitting on a Buddha statue". An even better example is the incident which was videoed, of the mug who physically hassled a tourist because she hadn't rented a beach chair. The video not only documented the crime, made possible identification of the criminal, but led to his arrest and subsequent deportation, none of which, I dare say, would have occurred had the video not been made public. OR

the act was knowingly committed in public view AND

the person committing the act is "compos mentis" i.e of sound mind...not say, so hammered to the gills that they may not even remember doing the act and would likely never have done so if they had been sober)

With respect, there is no need to be confrontational when politely pointing out when someone is being insensitive. Seen it happen at temples in past when people dressed inappropriately. It is doable and is done.

To take offense and do nothing at the time, but then post it on line later is the actions of a 'behind your back finger pointing gossip'.

It is cowardly and contemptible.

You don't like something then say so. To the persons face. Politely. In a non confrontational manner.

If they then ignore you, fair enough, post away.

You don't understand Thai people. Do you know what "greng jai" is?

Alwyn · January 6, 2015

A group of farang was found doing a workout [at a temple], supposedly yoga. They spread their arms and legs while their friends were taking photos. This was done in public view of both locals and tourists," the caption said. Common temple etiquette requires visitors to remain calm, and act in a composed manner"

Boo hoo hoo

If they are doing something wrong then say so to their face instead of this cowardly, chicken crud online BS outrage campaign.

Say you on an Internet forum 555

Lets see: Whose picture did I publish to name and shame…oh, look no one.

If I saw someone doing something that I found offensive I would tell them.

Get me in contact with the knob head who started this campaign and I tell them what I think about their behaviour.

Remember the guy from the BTS who had a hole in his shoe, yet was vilified on the forums for having a camera shoe.

Netziens and their online outrage, make me want to puke.

Says you in an internet rage

anon022 · January 6, 2015

idiots.

Bluespunk · January 6, 2015

A group of farang was found doing a workout [at a temple], supposedly yoga. They spread their arms and legs while their friends were taking photos. This was done in public view of both locals and tourists," the caption said. Common temple etiquette requires visitors to remain calm, and act in a composed manner"

Boo hoo hoo

If they are doing something wrong then say so to their face instead of this cowardly, chicken crud online BS outrage campaign.

Say you on an Internet forum 555

Lets see: Whose picture did I publish to name and shame…oh, look no one.

If I saw someone doing something that I found offensive I would tell them.

Get me in contact with the knob head who started this campaign and I tell them what I think about their behaviour.

Remember the guy from the BTS who had a hole in his shoe, yet was vilified on the forums for having a camera shoe.

Netziens and their online outrage, make me want to puke.

Says you in an internet rage

nope.

I'm not angry.

anon022 · January 6, 2015

Another example of an overreaction by a Thai.

At least a monk isn't slapping them, they are not drunk and are not in a bikini.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Impossible

Bluespunk · January 6, 2015

Re: AnotherOneAmercican's comment re being amazed at what "some youngsters in the west get up to on the grass outside (otherwise known as the graveyard". No, I wouldn't, but that doesn't make it appropriate where ever 'there' was or here in Thailand!

Re: Bluespunk's "If they are doing something wrong then say so to their face instead of this cowardly, chicken crud online BS outrage campaign", with respect, I suggest that he knows full well that confrontation is not something Thais are comfortable with, especially with "outsiders" except under extreme circumstances. Hell, I'm not comfortable with it either and I'm not Thai. If these youth had been, say, urinating on a statue of Buddha, I would not be surprised if a confrontation (and physical one,at that) was initiated by aThai (joined by falangs, including yours truly, as well!!).

Re: PaddyJenkins "....another racist, over sensitive thai taking their oh so precious culture a little too seriously?" How is it racist to complain about actions one finds offensive? You don't seriously suggest that any person who complains of another's behaviour is a racist simply because they are not of the same race as the "offender"? Over sensitive? In your mind....but not in the mind of many, if not all Thai's I suspect. And, for reasons I will expand upon later, not in my mind either, for I find their actions were offensive! . "precious culture" Hmmmm! A slight tone of some unvoiced resentment, is there? Too seriously. Again, in your mind! "...choice between some Chinese tourist publicly defecating.....some young Thais doing yoga... example of good, clean living people. Looking back over PaddyJenkins comment in its entirety, I get the feeling that ole PaddyJ just might be a tad racist!

and finally

Re: Jeremy50's "They look nice. When will people get off their high horse about religion and national borders." a) Eye of the beholder in the venue seen. Probably never!! I gave up a long time answering the question as to where I was from by saying "I'm an Earthman from this World" and as to what religon I espouse "Agnosticism". Now I will be as forthcoming on either question as any listeners and circumstances desire or will allow.

The credo "when in Rome......" contains sage advice for the most part. That doesn't mean assuming the bad traits of your chosen country to live, but it does mean respecting and abiding by cultural mores as well as the laws of the land. Walking around on the beach shirtless is perfectly okay! Walking around shirtless elsewhere is usually frowned upon and, I believe, that it can result in a modest fine if a police officer were so inclined as to enforce the law with regard to one's attire in the public areas. Walking around shirtless (not sure about tight leotards as to acceptability.....someone more knowledgeable than I might put in a word about that?) anywhere within a Wat is, I believe, totally unacceptable! If you have visited the "Big Buddha" in Chalong, you will have noted that, prior to entering the grounds proper, proper dressware is required and any clothing required to bring the visitor up to the required dress code is provided free of charge. While performing yoga in a public venue would not be frowned upon except where doing so would interfere with traffic or people in that public venue, a Wat is NOT what I would think of as being a "public" place in the usual sense of the word. That is to say, a street, a park, a mall are all public places where certain decorum is expected but are not places of worship. A place of worship, whether or not, the visitor is practioner of the faith in that place of worsip has no bearing, I submit. One may attend in a Catholic Church or on the grounds immediately outside that church and not be a Catholic, but would still be expected to behave in a manner acceptable to Catholics. I.E. To NOT get up in the middle of a service and starting singing as done in some churches of a....more relaxed atmosphere, shall we say. I refer to churches whose followers are referred to (and I mean no disrespect here) by some as "Holy Rollers" because of the fact that a good portion of their church attendance involves veryh enthusiastic singing and dancing in and around the aisles and pews of their church!

So, may we agree that these young people were dressed inappropriately (at least the shirtless ones) and that their gymnastics (I don't believe that it was 'yoga', although whether or not it was would not alter anything as to acceptability, in my opinion) was unacceptable behaviour on or in a Wat. If not, well............we disagree and must agree to disagree until one or other of us are enlightened)

If we agree, then the only issue left is whether or not it was appropriate for not only the behaviours to be published on such public venues as Facebook, but for their photos to be shown as well. In my humble opinion, I find nothing wrong with this incident being made public and thereby bringing to the attention of persons who otherwise would be ignorant as to the perceived disrespect seen in such behaviour, the wrongfulness of their actions. There are countless examples of incidents being reported upon in the social and other media involving behaviour which has upset someone...and these examples are worldwide in origin, so let's not even suggest that this is limited in any way to Thailand or the Thai people.

As to photos of the "offenders" Again, I refer to the countless examples of publications on Facebook where verbal accounts of an incident together with photographic documentation is provided. Such photographic documentation, to the best of my recollection, has seldom if ever, afforded the people anonymity EXCEPT where the publication has been made by news media such as CNN, for example. Perhaps, if these participants had been expressing any interest in their anonymity, I might be open to the suggestion that their facial features be hidden or blurred as we have seen done by our news media in certain circumstances. Having said that, an argument in favour of rendering their facial features unidentifiable that might more easily win my approval, would be to argue that they did not realize that their actions were disrespectful let alone the degree or gravity of such disrespect. Therefore, while they did commit these acts with full knowledge of them being visible to the public, they should be given the benefit of the doubt and treated as though they would not have acted in this manner had they known! In other words, the punishment should fit the crime!

Bottom line? Publish such incidents without hesitation anywhere, anytime they occur. If you don't complain, you are giving your tacit permission! Complaints don’t have to be made via personal confrontation with “offenders”, and in fact, often such confrontation is best avoided.

Publish visual documentation in support of such incidents in such a manner as to NOT make the "offender(s)" identifiable UNLESS,

the act is of such nature that any reasonable person would know it to be wrong. i.e. in the stated example (did it really happen?!) of some guy "publicly defecating" or the story about someone "spitting on a Buddha statue". An even better example is the incident which was videoed, of the mug who physically hassled a tourist because she hadn't rented a beach chair. The video not only documented the crime, made possible identification of the criminal, but led to his arrest and subsequent deportation, none of which, I dare say, would have occurred had the video not been made public. OR

the act was knowingly committed in public view AND

the person committing the act is "compos mentis" i.e of sound mind...not say, so hammered to the gills that they may not even remember doing the act and would likely never have done so if they had been sober)

With respect, there is no need to be confrontational when politely pointing out when someone is being insensitive. Seen it happen at temples in past when people dressed inappropriately. It is doable and is done.

To take offense and do nothing at the time, but then post it on line later is the actions of a 'behind your back finger pointing gossip'.

It is cowardly and contemptible.

You don't like something then say so. To the persons face. Politely. In a non confrontational manner.

If they then ignore you, fair enough, post away.

You don't understand Thai people. Do you know what "greng jai" is?

Yes.

I also know what BS is.

Why do you ask twice?

Edited January 6, 2015 by Bluespunk

dazzz · January 6, 2015

Thai get offended by a company in the Netherlands, printing Buddhas on the OUTSIDE of portable loos!

Thais are offended by a Japanese punkrocker, wearing a saffron robe!

Thais are offended by this, Thais are offended by that!

Tell a Thai that you are offended by something they did and they are offended by that, too!

Time to grow up and grow a pair!

If you are offended, by what these guys did (Yoga...outside of the temple...) go and TELL them.

Otherwise, I stick with Stephen Fry:

"'It's now very common to hear people say, "I'm rather offended by that", as if that gives them certain rights. It's no more than a whine. It has no meaning, it has no purpose, it has no reason to be respected as a phrase. "I'm offended by that." Well, so <deleted> what?'

The first sensible post on here. If thais are offended by this yoga they have to stop having morlum sexy girl concerts , stop drinking low kao and beer ,stop fighting in all of the temples all of which i see on a monthly basis. I think most of the righteous drivel is from farangs in and south of bangkok who have never seen the real thailand.

My wife`s brother became a monk because his wife threw him out for adultery and he had nowhere to live. He was then thrown out of the village temple when he was seen with a woman drinking whisky and is now in a temple in udon thani where he tells me the monks sell drugs (same as the police in my village). Went to visit him one night and ended up in the town with a few monks who had changed clothes and went with us eating and drinking. Met a monk on the bus covered in tatoos who told me he had not long come out of jail for murder and since had committed more offences so became a monk to prevent the police from arresting him and said there were a lot of thais who just became monks because they were homeless or to avoid being arrested.

Thais need to clean up their own act before they criticise others for minor things . Have attached a few more photos of concert in the local temple with sexy dancers ,rubbish thrown around the buddha statue and giant sacred tree and the drunks fighting. The last photo of a man and woman having intercourse when the young boy turned the handle was offensive and embarrassing to me and should never have gone into the temple. One of the girl dancers i know and is only 14.

What is offensive to thais is farangs coming half way around the world to pay for sex with young girls and is also illegal but that would not bother most of you as much as this yoga thing

sex on a truck.JPG

This is the same in every temple i have been to north of korat. How aboout posting these photos on the thai website and ask them how they allow this to go on in their temples ,and every thai has been to these concerts and know they go on.p1.JPG 2.JPG 3.JPG 5.JPG 6.JPG

So by your reasoning if someone does something wrong then everyone can do it? How do you know the people criticizing this couple don't try and clean up other temples and show the bad monks for what they are.

Your opinion suggests it's ok to do wrong if other do it...which is rather blinkered don't you think?

Your reading is rather blinkered don`t you think . I do not think or care if it is right or wrong for either of them but thailand has a culture which all thais know of underage girls doing sexy concerts, whisky ,lethal weapons , fighting and drugs inside the temples. They all know! Seems strange that a guy who must have seen the obscene goings on at nearly all the temples in thailand would suddenely get upset about such a minor thing except they were farang and not thai. I have seen thais paralytic ,naked and killed inside temples and have never heard one thai ever complain.

I do not go to them anymore as they are too disgusting for me and my wife gets very upset at the things goig on in the temple. I have spoke to the police and the head man in the village about stopping the whisky and searching the guys for weapons when they come in and just get the thai smile and shrug. Remember all happens this is in front of families

Bluespunk · January 6, 2015

Re: AnotherOneAmercican's comment re being amazed at what "some youngsters in the west get up to on the grass outside (otherwise known as the graveyard". No, I wouldn't, but that doesn't make it appropriate where ever 'there' was or here in Thailand!

Re: Bluespunk's "If they are doing something wrong then say so to their face instead of this cowardly, chicken crud online BS outrage campaign", with respect, I suggest that he knows full well that confrontation is not something Thais are comfortable with, especially with "outsiders" except under extreme circumstances. Hell, I'm not comfortable with it either and I'm not Thai. If these youth had been, say, urinating on a statue of Buddha, I would not be surprised if a confrontation (and physical one,at that) was initiated by aThai (joined by falangs, including yours truly, as well!!).

Re: PaddyJenkins "....another racist, over sensitive thai taking their oh so precious culture a little too seriously?" How is it racist to complain about actions one finds offensive? You don't seriously suggest that any person who complains of another's behaviour is a racist simply because they are not of the same race as the "offender"? Over sensitive? In your mind....but not in the mind of many, if not all Thai's I suspect. And, for reasons I will expand upon later, not in my mind either, for I find their actions were offensive! . "precious culture" Hmmmm! A slight tone of some unvoiced resentment, is there? Too seriously. Again, in your mind! "...choice between some Chinese tourist publicly defecating.....some young Thais doing yoga... example of good, clean living people. Looking back over PaddyJenkins comment in its entirety, I get the feeling that ole PaddyJ just might be a tad racist!

and finally

Re: Jeremy50's "They look nice. When will people get off their high horse about religion and national borders." a) Eye of the beholder in the venue seen. Probably never!! I gave up a long time answering the question as to where I was from by saying "I'm an Earthman from this World" and as to what religon I espouse "Agnosticism". Now I will be as forthcoming on either question as any listeners and circumstances desire or will allow.

The credo "when in Rome......" contains sage advice for the most part. That doesn't mean assuming the bad traits of your chosen country to live, but it does mean respecting and abiding by cultural mores as well as the laws of the land. Walking around on the beach shirtless is perfectly okay! Walking around shirtless elsewhere is usually frowned upon and, I believe, that it can result in a modest fine if a police officer were so inclined as to enforce the law with regard to one's attire in the public areas. Walking around shirtless (not sure about tight leotards as to acceptability.....someone more knowledgeable than I might put in a word about that?) anywhere within a Wat is, I believe, totally unacceptable! If you have visited the "Big Buddha" in Chalong, you will have noted that, prior to entering the grounds proper, proper dressware is required and any clothing required to bring the visitor up to the required dress code is provided free of charge. While performing yoga in a public venue would not be frowned upon except where doing so would interfere with traffic or people in that public venue, a Wat is NOT what I would think of as being a "public" place in the usual sense of the word. That is to say, a street, a park, a mall are all public places where certain decorum is expected but are not places of worship. A place of worship, whether or not, the visitor is practioner of the faith in that place of worsip has no bearing, I submit. One may attend in a Catholic Church or on the grounds immediately outside that church and not be a Catholic, but would still be expected to behave in a manner acceptable to Catholics. I.E. To NOT get up in the middle of a service and starting singing as done in some churches of a....more relaxed atmosphere, shall we say. I refer to churches whose followers are referred to (and I mean no disrespect here) by some as "Holy Rollers" because of the fact that a good portion of their church attendance involves veryh enthusiastic singing and dancing in and around the aisles and pews of their church!

So, may we agree that these young people were dressed inappropriately (at least the shirtless ones) and that their gymnastics (I don't believe that it was 'yoga', although whether or not it was would not alter anything as to acceptability, in my opinion) was unacceptable behaviour on or in a Wat. If not, well............we disagree and must agree to disagree until one or other of us are enlightened)

If we agree, then the only issue left is whether or not it was appropriate for not only the behaviours to be published on such public venues as Facebook, but for their photos to be shown as well. In my humble opinion, I find nothing wrong with this incident being made public and thereby bringing to the attention of persons who otherwise would be ignorant as to the perceived disrespect seen in such behaviour, the wrongfulness of their actions. There are countless examples of incidents being reported upon in the social and other media involving behaviour which has upset someone...and these examples are worldwide in origin, so let's not even suggest that this is limited in any way to Thailand or the Thai people.

As to photos of the "offenders" Again, I refer to the countless examples of publications on Facebook where verbal accounts of an incident together with photographic documentation is provided. Such photographic documentation, to the best of my recollection, has seldom if ever, afforded the people anonymity EXCEPT where the publication has been made by news media such as CNN, for example. Perhaps, if these participants had been expressing any interest in their anonymity, I might be open to the suggestion that their facial features be hidden or blurred as we have seen done by our news media in certain circumstances. Having said that, an argument in favour of rendering their facial features unidentifiable that might more easily win my approval, would be to argue that they did not realize that their actions were disrespectful let alone the degree or gravity of such disrespect. Therefore, while they did commit these acts with full knowledge of them being visible to the public, they should be given the benefit of the doubt and treated as though they would not have acted in this manner had they known! In other words, the punishment should fit the crime!

Bottom line? Publish such incidents without hesitation anywhere, anytime they occur. If you don't complain, you are giving your tacit permission! Complaints don’t have to be made via personal confrontation with “offenders”, and in fact, often such confrontation is best avoided.

Publish visual documentation in support of such incidents in such a manner as to NOT make the "offender(s)" identifiable UNLESS,

the act is of such nature that any reasonable person would know it to be wrong. i.e. in the stated example (did it really happen?!) of some guy "publicly defecating" or the story about someone "spitting on a Buddha statue". An even better example is the incident which was videoed, of the mug who physically hassled a tourist because she hadn't rented a beach chair. The video not only documented the crime, made possible identification of the criminal, but led to his arrest and subsequent deportation, none of which, I dare say, would have occurred had the video not been made public. OR

the act was knowingly committed in public view AND

the person committing the act is "compos mentis" i.e of sound mind...not say, so hammered to the gills that they may not even remember doing the act and would likely never have done so if they had been sober)

With respect, there is no need to be confrontational when politely pointing out when someone is being insensitive. Seen it happen at temples in past when people dressed inappropriately. It is doable and is done.

To take offense and do nothing at the time, but then post it on line later is the actions of a 'behind your back finger pointing gossip'.

It is cowardly and contemptible.

You don't like something then say so. To the persons face. Politely. In a non confrontational manner.

If they then ignore you, fair enough, post away.

You don't understand Thai people. Do you know what "greng jai" is?

Answered you the first or second time. Why ask a third time? Don't like my answer? Well I ain't changing it.

Edit: Make that 4 times…………..

Edited January 6, 2015 by Bluespunk

binjalin · January 6, 2015

It doesn't seem that the people running the temple are much bothered about it. Don't know why the person who was outraged is given the time of day by the media. Guess it has been a slow day in the news without anything to report or say.

Tho personally I don't particularly care for the display of whatever newfangled form of performance yoga is being demonstrated, I doubt the people running the temple mind that much about harmless actions that are going on under their radar. If they saw what was happening and didn't like it they would just ask the couple to stop, end of story. I'm sure the temple and all the monks can look after themselves in the face of such abominations. A few years ago I went to the famous white temple in Chiang Rai, Wat Rong Khun, the one designed by the famous Thai painter Chalermchai Kositpipat. When I arrived at the gate I found that a sign had been posted saying, "No foreigners admitted without accompaniment by a Thai National." Tho my Thai wife was dawdling in the cafe and was soon to come along, I didn't want to be admited only because she was with me. I said to the woman selling tickets to get in, "I respect Buddhism, I attend teachings, I meditate and try to behave as recommended by the Buddha, may I please come in and see Chalermchai's wonderful homage to the Dharma?" She said, "OK, never mind. You can come in." So, I'm sure if foreigners present a problem for the temple, they would or could post similar flexible restrictions on who enters the temple. It isn't rocket science to protect one's temple from the perceived offensive actions, attitudes and words of the heedless tourist mobs.

To the person who was outraged, if you feel so strongly about "Buddhism" because you are a "Buddhist," I'm sure that from a Buddhist perspective, its better for your Buddhist practice to tame your mind, read sutras and teachings by contemporary masters, meditate, attend teachings by living masters and help them as well, and try to do actions that directly help those who are suffering. That will do more for "Buddhism," which you seem to think needs your help, than ranting to the media. The Dharma is upheld by those who practice it not by fighting and struggling against non-Buddhists to save it. If people disrespect your "Buddhism" I think the teachings recommend we develop compassion for them, not anger and outrage. If they are truly disrepectful or willfully ignorant of what the Buddha had to say and the advice he had to help beings avoid suffering, they are the ones who will suffer, just as a child who would ignore a parent's warning not to stick their hand into a fire. But if in their hearts the yoga enthusiasts do respect the teachings -and my guess is that as yoga practitioners they are quite likely, at the very least, to be very open to the essence of Dharma- and they have made a mistake, then why bother about it, we all make mistakes. Why not consider that perhaps they, like you, sometimes get carried away and make mistakes? Perhaps they were simply overwhelmed by joy at having encountered a temple dedicated to the Buddha and his teachings? Perhaps like temple dancers, what they are doing represents an offering, we don't know what was their intention of their feeling, so why presume it was something frivolous and disrespectful?

because it was frivolous and disrespecful.

no it wasn't it was outside the grounds and what is disrespectful about Yoga? the shirt I agree was an aberration (and seen daily) but to warrant this bile from 'pure Buddhist farangs'? I think not...

Edited January 6, 2015 by binjalin

anon022 · January 6, 2015

Do you know what "greng jai" is?

Answered you the first or second time. Why ask a third time? Don't like my answer? Well I ain't changing it.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Impossible

Luxfare · January 6, 2015

Thai get offended by a company in the Netherlands, printing Buddhas on the OUTSIDE of portable loos!

Thais are offended by a Japanese punkrocker, wearing a saffron robe!

Thais are offended by this, Thais are offended by that!

Tell a Thai that you are offended by something they did and they are offended by that, too!

Time to grow up and grow a pair!

If you are offended, by what these guys did (Yoga...outside of the temple...) go and TELL them.

Otherwise, I stick with Stephen Fry:

"'It's now very common to hear people say, "I'm rather offended by that", as if that gives them certain rights. It's no more than a whine. It has no meaning, it has no purpose, it has no reason to be respected as a phrase. "I'm offended by that." Well, so <deleted> what?'

The first sensible post on here. If thais are offended by this yoga they have to stop having morlum sexy girl concerts , stop drinking low kao and beer ,stop fighting in all of the temples all of which i see on a monthly basis. I think most of the righteous drivel is from farangs in and south of bangkok who have never seen the real thailand.

My wife`s brother became a monk because his wife threw him out for adultery and he had nowhere to live. He was then thrown out of the village temple when he was seen with a woman drinking whisky and is now in a temple in udon thani where he tells me the monks sell drugs (same as the police in my village). Went to visit him one night and ended up in the town with a few monks who had changed clothes and went with us eating and drinking. Met a monk on the bus covered in tatoos who told me he had not long come out of jail for murder and since had committed more offences so became a monk to prevent the police from arresting him and said there were a lot of thais who just became monks because they were homeless or to avoid being arrested.

Thais need to clean up their own act before they criticise others for minor things . Have attached a few more photos of concert in the local temple with sexy dancers ,rubbish thrown around the buddha statue and giant sacred tree and the drunks fighting. The last photo of a man and woman having intercourse when the young boy turned the handle was offensive and embarrassing to me and should never have gone into the temple. One of the girl dancers i know and is only 14.

What is offensive to thais is farangs coming half way around the world to pay for sex with young girls and is also illegal but that would not bother most of you as much as this yoga thing

sex on a truck.JPG

This is the same in every temple i have been to north of korat. How aboout posting these photos on the thai website and ask them how they allow this to go on in their temples ,and every thai has been to these concerts and know they go on.p1.JPG 2.JPG 3.JPG 5.JPG 6.JPG

So by your reasoning if someone does something wrong then everyone can do it? How do you know the people criticizing this couple don't try and clean up other temples and show the bad monks for what they are.

Your opinion suggests it's ok to do wrong if other do it...which is rather blinkered don't you think?

Your reading is rather blinkered don`t you think . I do not think or care if it is right or wrong for either of them but thailand has a culture which all thais know of underage girls doing sexy concerts, whisky ,lethal weapons , fighting and drugs inside the temples. They all know! Seems strange that a guy who must have seen the obscene goings on at nearly all the temples in thailand would suddenely get upset about such a minor thing except they were farang and not thai. I have seen thais paralytic ,naked and killed inside temples and have never heard one thai ever complain.

I do not go to them anymore as they are too disgusting for me and my wife gets very upset at the things goig on in the temple. I have spoke to the police and the head man in the village about stopping the whisky and searching the guys for weapons when they come in and just get the thai smile and shrug. Remember all happens this is in front of families

You say I'm blinkered?? like I said, what is to say the Thais complaining about this yoga couple aren't equally outraged at the temples being run poorly? My wife is strict Buddhist and all she said about this couple was they should have asked or researched first, yet she was outraged at the monk slapping the farang on the train a month or so ago.

As soon as it becomes an us and them situation they'll only ever be one winnner...and it won't be the people who need visas renewed every year.

GAZZPA · January 6, 2015

Yet more hyperbole from some foreign hating Thai's.

Ok, so perhaps they went a little over the top by performing yoga and taking photos at a temple but from what I can see in the photos they were outside. All that was required was a polite mention to them that what they were doing was inappropriate and i am sure they would have stopped (and probably felt a little embarrassed).

But no, its another excuse for the foreign hating Thai's to blow it out of all proportion and start another hate campaign and I am sure there are plenty of Thais who will join in.

Should not be in the news at all. I would argue its inappropriate for a news headline.

Its ok for the Thais to BS their way out of embarrassment (or loss of face) but they have no problem doing the same to someone else.

Tingtau · January 6, 2015

Re: AnotherOneAmercican's comment re being amazed at what "some youngsters in the west get up to on the grass outside (otherwise known as the graveyard". No, I wouldn't, but that doesn't make it appropriate where ever 'there' was or here in Thailand!

Re: Bluespunk's "If they are doing something wrong then say so to their face instead of this cowardly, chicken crud online BS outrage campaign", with respect, I suggest that he knows full well that confrontation is not something Thais are comfortable with, especially with "outsiders" except under extreme circumstances. Hell, I'm not comfortable with it either and I'm not Thai. If these youth had been, say, urinating on a statue of Buddha, I would not be surprised if a confrontation (and physical one,at that) was initiated by aThai (joined by falangs, including yours truly, as well!!).

Re: PaddyJenkins "....another racist, over sensitive thai taking their oh so precious culture a little too seriously?" How is it racist to complain about actions one finds offensive? You don't seriously suggest that any person who complains of another's behaviour is a racist simply because they are not of the same race as the "offender"? Over sensitive? In your mind....but not in the mind of many, if not all Thai's I suspect. And, for reasons I will expand upon later, not in my mind either, for I find their actions were offensive! . "precious culture" Hmmmm! A slight tone of some unvoiced resentment, is there? Too seriously. Again, in your mind! "...choice between some Chinese tourist publicly defecating.....some young Thais doing yoga... example of good, clean living people. Looking back over PaddyJenkins comment in its entirety, I get the feeling that ole PaddyJ just might be a tad racist!

and finally

Re: Jeremy50's "They look nice. When will people get off their high horse about religion and national borders." a) Eye of the beholder in the venue seen. Probably never!! I gave up a long time answering the question as to where I was from by saying "I'm an Earthman from this World" and as to what religon I espouse "Agnosticism". Now I will be as forthcoming on either question as any listeners and circumstances desire or will allow.

The credo "when in Rome......" contains sage advice for the most part. That doesn't mean assuming the bad traits of your chosen country to live, but it does mean respecting and abiding by cultural mores as well as the laws of the land. Walking around on the beach shirtless is perfectly okay! Walking around shirtless elsewhere is usually frowned upon and, I believe, that it can result in a modest fine if a police officer were so inclined as to enforce the law with regard to one's attire in the public areas. Walking around shirtless (not sure about tight leotards as to acceptability.....someone more knowledgeable than I might put in a word about that?) anywhere within a Wat is, I believe, totally unacceptable! If you have visited the "Big Buddha" in Chalong, you will have noted that, prior to entering the grounds proper, proper dressware is required and any clothing required to bring the visitor up to the required dress code is provided free of charge. While performing yoga in a public venue would not be frowned upon except where doing so would interfere with traffic or people in that public venue, a Wat is NOT what I would think of as being a "public" place in the usual sense of the word. That is to say, a street, a park, a mall are all public places where certain decorum is expected but are not places of worship. A place of worship, whether or not, the visitor is practioner of the faith in that place of worsip has no bearing, I submit. One may attend in a Catholic Church or on the grounds immediately outside that church and not be a Catholic, but would still be expected to behave in a manner acceptable to Catholics. I.E. To NOT get up in the middle of a service and starting singing as done in some churches of a....more relaxed atmosphere, shall we say. I refer to churches whose followers are referred to (and I mean no disrespect here) by some as "Holy Rollers" because of the fact that a good portion of their church attendance involves veryh enthusiastic singing and dancing in and around the aisles and pews of their church!

So, may we agree that these young people were dressed inappropriately (at least the shirtless ones) and that their gymnastics (I don't believe that it was 'yoga', although whether or not it was would not alter anything as to acceptability, in my opinion) was unacceptable behaviour on or in a Wat. If not, well............we disagree and must agree to disagree until one or other of us are enlightened)

If we agree, then the only issue left is whether or not it was appropriate for not only the behaviours to be published on such public venues as Facebook, but for their photos to be shown as well. In my humble opinion, I find nothing wrong with this incident being made public and thereby bringing to the attention of persons who otherwise would be ignorant as to the perceived disrespect seen in such behaviour, the wrongfulness of their actions. There are countless examples of incidents being reported upon in the social and other media involving behaviour which has upset someone...and these examples are worldwide in origin, so let's not even suggest that this is limited in any way to Thailand or the Thai people.

As to photos of the "offenders" Again, I refer to the countless examples of publications on Facebook where verbal accounts of an incident together with photographic documentation is provided. Such photographic documentation, to the best of my recollection, has seldom if ever, afforded the people anonymity EXCEPT where the publication has been made by news media such as CNN, for example. Perhaps, if these participants had been expressing any interest in their anonymity, I might be open to the suggestion that their facial features be hidden or blurred as we have seen done by our news media in certain circumstances. Having said that, an argument in favour of rendering their facial features unidentifiable that might more easily win my approval, would be to argue that they did not realize that their actions were disrespectful let alone the degree or gravity of such disrespect. Therefore, while they did commit these acts with full knowledge of them being visible to the public, they should be given the benefit of the doubt and treated as though they would not have acted in this manner had they known! In other words, the punishment should fit the crime!

Bottom line? Publish such incidents without hesitation anywhere, anytime they occur. If you don't complain, you are giving your tacit permission! Complaints don’t have to be made via personal confrontation with “offenders”, and in fact, often such confrontation is best avoided.

Publish visual documentation in support of such incidents in such a manner as to NOT make the "offender(s)" identifiable UNLESS,

the act is of such nature that any reasonable person would know it to be wrong. i.e. in the stated example (did it really happen?!) of some guy "publicly defecating" or the story about someone "spitting on a Buddha statue". An even better example is the incident which was videoed, of the mug who physically hassled a tourist because she hadn't rented a beach chair. The video not only documented the crime, made possible identification of the criminal, but led to his arrest and subsequent deportation, none of which, I dare say, would have occurred had the video not been made public. OR

the act was knowingly committed in public view AND

the person committing the act is "compos mentis" i.e of sound mind...not say, so hammered to the gills that they may not even remember doing the act and would likely never have done so if they had been sober)

With respect, there is no need to be confrontational when politely pointing out when someone is being insensitive. Seen it happen at temples in past when people dressed inappropriately. It is doable and is done.

To take offense and do nothing at the time, but then post it on line later is the actions of a 'behind your back finger pointing gossip'.

It is cowardly and contemptible.

You don't like something then say so. To the persons face. Politely. In a non confrontational manner.

If they then ignore you, fair enough, post away.

I don't entirely disagree with you. If it were me and I were to do something that someone found offensive, I would want to be made aware of that fact...and I would hope that I could apologize and amend my behaviour on learning of my error. That's me....with respect to being taught and having one more area of ignorance perhaps removed from my unfortunate repetoire of lifetime "boo boos".

In some instances where a clear and flagrant violation of my rights is being committed, I have registered my displeasure "face to face".....and then felt somewhat chagrined because I'm not sure that any such violation was recognized or intended.

In the incident regarding these youths, I, personally, might well have approached them and politely suggested to them that they not only cease their activity but put on shirts. And I would have done so, largely due to the fact that, while younger than I, they visually represent my perceived group...light-skinned falangs! And I wouldn't like the feeling of being thrown into that " just another dumb falang" anymore than I feel comfortable when I hear one of my own grouping make a comment in which any other group, including but not limited to theThai, is described using a negative generalization. Yes, some of us falangs can be dumb...probably all of us at one time or another, at least once in our lives. But that is true of any group of people! So, I persoally would feel a strong stake in setting those young people straight.

Such confrontation is a common behaviour in Westerners and usually gets positive reinforcement. It doesn't take a couple of Chinese tourists jumping the queue in a crowded airport ticket line to cause havoc as occurred recently in a Thai airport. We'll tell you to get to the back of the line at a Timmy's and have everybody nodding their heads. As I think you know, due to a combination of the usually encountered language barrier and a taught behaviour of general "non-confrontation", most Thais will not, under normal circumstances, approach falangs to admonish them regarding almost anything, but rather will show their displeasre by avoiding even looking at the offender.

So, while I don't say that you are wrong in wishing that these young people had been put in their place right then and there, neither do I think that how the person dealt with the fact of their disrespectful actions was wrong in and of itself. With respect, I do say that to characterize the complainer's actions as "cowardly and contemptible" is to impose on another, one of your own culturally learned beliefs. That they have been raised to a different attitude should not result in being branded as you suggest. They dealt with it how they could, and by doing so, I venture to say, they shone a very bright light on at least one aspect of Thai culture....that appropriate dress and behaviour, especially in a place of worship. IS expected and that the reverse is to show disrespect!! If ony those youths had the wisdom to ask before doing something which I am certain, they have never seen done by ANYONE in a Wat, let alone by any Thai.

Bluespunk · January 6, 2015

Re: AnotherOneAmercican's comment re being amazed at what "some youngsters in the west get up to on the grass outside (otherwise known as the graveyard". No, I wouldn't, but that doesn't make it appropriate where ever 'there' was or here in Thailand!

Re: Bluespunk's "If they are doing something wrong then say so to their face instead of this cowardly, chicken crud online BS outrage campaign", with respect, I suggest that he knows full well that confrontation is not something Thais are comfortable with, especially with "outsiders" except under extreme circumstances. Hell, I'm not comfortable with it either and I'm not Thai. If these youth had been, say, urinating on a statue of Buddha, I would not be surprised if a confrontation (and physical one,at that) was initiated by aThai (joined by falangs, including yours truly, as well!!).

Re: PaddyJenkins "....another racist, over sensitive thai taking their oh so precious culture a little too seriously?" How is it racist to complain about actions one finds offensive? You don't seriously suggest that any person who complains of another's behaviour is a racist simply because they are not of the same race as the "offender"? Over sensitive? In your mind....but not in the mind of many, if not all Thai's I suspect. And, for reasons I will expand upon later, not in my mind either, for I find their actions were offensive! . "precious culture" Hmmmm! A slight tone of some unvoiced resentment, is there? Too seriously. Again, in your mind! "...choice between some Chinese tourist publicly defecating.....some young Thais doing yoga... example of good, clean living people. Looking back over PaddyJenkins comment in its entirety, I get the feeling that ole PaddyJ just might be a tad racist!

and finally

Re: Jeremy50's "They look nice. When will people get off their high horse about religion and national borders." a) Eye of the beholder in the venue seen. Probably never!! I gave up a long time answering the question as to where I was from by saying "I'm an Earthman from this World" and as to what religon I espouse "Agnosticism". Now I will be as forthcoming on either question as any listeners and circumstances desire or will allow.

The credo "when in Rome......" contains sage advice for the most part. That doesn't mean assuming the bad traits of your chosen country to live, but it does mean respecting and abiding by cultural mores as well as the laws of the land. Walking around on the beach shirtless is perfectly okay! Walking around shirtless elsewhere is usually frowned upon and, I believe, that it can result in a modest fine if a police officer were so inclined as to enforce the law with regard to one's attire in the public areas. Walking around shirtless (not sure about tight leotards as to acceptability.....someone more knowledgeable than I might put in a word about that?) anywhere within a Wat is, I believe, totally unacceptable! If you have visited the "Big Buddha" in Chalong, you will have noted that, prior to entering the grounds proper, proper dressware is required and any clothing required to bring the visitor up to the required dress code is provided free of charge. While performing yoga in a public venue would not be frowned upon except where doing so would interfere with traffic or people in that public venue, a Wat is NOT what I would think of as being a "public" place in the usual sense of the word. That is to say, a street, a park, a mall are all public places where certain decorum is expected but are not places of worship. A place of worship, whether or not, the visitor is practioner of the faith in that place of worsip has no bearing, I submit. One may attend in a Catholic Church or on the grounds immediately outside that church and not be a Catholic, but would still be expected to behave in a manner acceptable to Catholics. I.E. To NOT get up in the middle of a service and starting singing as done in some churches of a....more relaxed atmosphere, shall we say. I refer to churches whose followers are referred to (and I mean no disrespect here) by some as "Holy Rollers" because of the fact that a good portion of their church attendance involves veryh enthusiastic singing and dancing in and around the aisles and pews of their church!

So, may we agree that these young people were dressed inappropriately (at least the shirtless ones) and that their gymnastics (I don't believe that it was 'yoga', although whether or not it was would not alter anything as to acceptability, in my opinion) was unacceptable behaviour on or in a Wat. If not, well............we disagree and must agree to disagree until one or other of us are enlightened)

If we agree, then the only issue left is whether or not it was appropriate for not only the behaviours to be published on such public venues as Facebook, but for their photos to be shown as well. In my humble opinion, I find nothing wrong with this incident being made public and thereby bringing to the attention of persons who otherwise would be ignorant as to the perceived disrespect seen in such behaviour, the wrongfulness of their actions. There are countless examples of incidents being reported upon in the social and other media involving behaviour which has upset someone...and these examples are worldwide in origin, so let's not even suggest that this is limited in any way to Thailand or the Thai people.

As to photos of the "offenders" Again, I refer to the countless examples of publications on Facebook where verbal accounts of an incident together with photographic documentation is provided. Such photographic documentation, to the best of my recollection, has seldom if ever, afforded the people anonymity EXCEPT where the publication has been made by news media such as CNN, for example. Perhaps, if these participants had been expressing any interest in their anonymity, I might be open to the suggestion that their facial features be hidden or blurred as we have seen done by our news media in certain circumstances. Having said that, an argument in favour of rendering their facial features unidentifiable that might more easily win my approval, would be to argue that they did not realize that their actions were disrespectful let alone the degree or gravity of such disrespect. Therefore, while they did commit these acts with full knowledge of them being visible to the public, they should be given the benefit of the doubt and treated as though they would not have acted in this manner had they known! In other words, the punishment should fit the crime!

Bottom line? Publish such incidents without hesitation anywhere, anytime they occur. If you don't complain, you are giving your tacit permission! Complaints don’t have to be made via personal confrontation with “offenders”, and in fact, often such confrontation is best avoided.

Publish visual documentation in support of such incidents in such a manner as to NOT make the "offender(s)" identifiable UNLESS,

the act is of such nature that any reasonable person would know it to be wrong. i.e. in the stated example (did it really happen?!) of some guy "publicly defecating" or the story about someone "spitting on a Buddha statue". An even better example is the incident which was videoed, of the mug who physically hassled a tourist because she hadn't rented a beach chair. The video not only documented the crime, made possible identification of the criminal, but led to his arrest and subsequent deportation, none of which, I dare say, would have occurred had the video not been made public. OR

the act was knowingly committed in public view AND

the person committing the act is "compos mentis" i.e of sound mind...not say, so hammered to the gills that they may not even remember doing the act and would likely never have done so if they had been sober)

With respect, there is no need to be confrontational when politely pointing out when someone is being insensitive. Seen it happen at temples in past when people dressed inappropriately. It is doable and is done.

To take offense and do nothing at the time, but then post it on line later is the actions of a 'behind your back finger pointing gossip'.

It is cowardly and contemptible.

You don't like something then say so. To the persons face. Politely. In a non confrontational manner.

If they then ignore you, fair enough, post away.

I don't entirely disagree with you. If it were me and I were to do something that someone found offensive, I would want to be made aware of that fact...and I would hope that I could apologize and amend my behaviour on learning of my error. That's me....with respect to being taught and having one more area of ignorance perhaps removed from my unfortunate repetoire of lifetime "boo boos".

In some instances where a clear and flagrant violation of my rights is being committed, I have registered my displeasure "face to face".....and then felt somewhat chagrined because I'm not sure that any such violation was recognized or intended.

In the incident regarding these youths, I, personally, might well have approached them and politely suggested to them that they not only cease their activity but put on shirts. And I would have done so, largely due to the fact that, while younger than I, they visually represent my perceived group...light-skinned falangs! And I wouldn't like the feeling of being thrown into that " just another dumb falang" anymore than I feel comfortable when I hear one of my own grouping make a comment in which any other group, including but not limited to theThai, is described using a negative generalization. Yes, some of us falangs can be dumb...probably all of us at one time or another, at least once in our lives. But that is true of any group of people! So, I persoally would feel a strong stake in setting those young people straight.

Such confrontation is a common behaviour in Westerners and usually gets positive reinforcement. It doesn't take a couple of Chinese tourists jumping the queue in a crowded airport ticket line to cause havoc as occurred recently in a Thai airport. We'll tell you to get to the back of the line at a Timmy's and have everybody nodding their heads. As I think you know, due to a combination of the usually encountered language barrier and a taught behaviour of general "non-confrontation", most Thais will not, under normal circumstances, approach falangs to admonish them regarding almost anything, but rather will show their displeasre by avoiding even looking at the offender.

So, while I don't say that you are wrong in wishing that these young people had been put in their place right then and there, neither do I think that how the person dealt with the fact of their disrespectful actions was wrong in and of itself. With respect, I do say that to characterize the complainer's actions as "cowardly and contemptible" is to impose on another, one of your own culturally learned beliefs. That they have been raised to a different attitude should not result in being branded as you suggest. They dealt with it how they could, and by doing so, I venture to say, they shone a very bright light on at least one aspect of Thai culture....that appropriate dress and behaviour, especially in a place of worship. IS expected and that the reverse is to show disrespect!! If ony those youths had the wisdom to ask before doing something which I am certain, they have never seen done by ANYONE in a Wat, let alone by any Thai.

My views on using the web to denigrate people in this manner are the same regardless of nationality.

It is nothing more than finger pointing and gossiping behind someones back on a grander scale.

I despise people who gossip and feel the same about those who use the web this way.

Especially when used against people who may not have known they were causing offense.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Bluespunk

Si Thea01 · January 6, 2015

It has been listed that what these persons are performing yoga. I would say the pose is more akin to either aerobic,acrobatic or gymnastic positions, as yoga has thousand of positions but only performed in specific positions by an individual, not by a couple.

Why is it if some one criticises persons for acting inappropriately or dressing inadequately at a Temple that the PC brigade crawls our from under their rocks and defend these two by alleging people are farang bashing? You rush to your excuse book to provide reasons why they should not be criticized. Give me a reason why they should be praised?

Oh I forgot, it has been suggested that their performance is outside the temple so it's ok and some have gone to the extent of alleging vilification or playing the racist card, over reacting, the monks are worse, etc., etc. Why is it that if you are living here are you so vitriolic towards the country and it's people, when one would expect to show some respect for your host country. But I guess, not many of you know the meaning of the word, respect, so why should the younger generation be any different.

This is the star position in acroyoga.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acroyoga

Yes it is, but AcroYoga is a combination of acrobatics and yoga. If I wanted to refer to that then I would have but I was referring to yoga, which is the Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practised for health and relaxation and undertaken by an individual, either singularly or in a group.

Maybe I should explain myself more, so that one who does not comprehend what I meant, would actually know what I am referring too. If you want to correct me, then stay with the subject and do not refer to an adaptation of yoga, as I wasn't.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Si Thea01

Tingtau · January 6, 2015

Quick question....."greng jai" ? Nope, I haven't learned that expression yet...Means.......?

JacChang · January 6, 2015

Please summon them for questioning, how can they DO THIS! It's not even in the list of appropriate places to work at in the work permit.

Si Thea01 · January 6, 2015

Quick question....."greng jai" ? Nope, I haven't learned that expression yet...Means.......?

it is actually "Kreng Jai." Means "Awe heart or differential heart. It is strictly a Thai trait and not many farangs would have a clue. it is about being aware of other people's feelings and showing consideration, politeness and respect to them. It also relates to the Thai not wanting to lose face and if one shows Kreng Jai then they can help another save face. I think if one wants to show their Thai skills, then spell it correctly and show the other what the meaning is. It is only polite to do so but then does he know?

Edited January 6, 2015 by Si Thea01

thailiketoo · January 6, 2015

Quick question....."greng jai" ? Nope, I haven't learned that expression yet...Means.......?

it is actually "Kreng Jai." Means "Awe heart or differential heart. It is strictly a Thai trait and not many farangs would have a clue. it is about being aware of other people's feelings and showing consideration, politeness and respect to them. It also relates to the Thai not wanting to lose face and if one shows Kreng Jai then they can help another save face. I think is one wants to show their Thai skills, then spell it correctly and show the other what the meaning is. But then does he know?

Transliteration never spells anything correctly in Thai. My guess is as good as yours.

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