Thai Police on the Hunt for Tourist Caught Kicking Sacred Prayer Bell

[catweazle]

Thailand wanted those Chinese "quality tourists" so badly... Now they have them and compain... Som nam naa

Police on a manhunt for a person who kicked a temple bell, while serial rapists and murderers raom free on Koh Tao and other mafia islands... Thailand - as always - has its priorities set perfectly straight...

Edited February 25, 2015 by catweazle

[micmichd]

Feel free to get some information about the 3 big religions/belief concepts in China:

Konfuzianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, before you start bashing all Chinese now.

[cookee68]

A gentle ringing is said to bring good luck, maybe he or she wanted lots of luck so gave it a big ringing, if somebody was raped further down the road the top priority would be to find the bell kicker first, Religion, wow what a croc of Shit, is this Shit even worth putting in the news

[cookee68]

The first thing we learn about Thailand is to respect HM the King, the Monks and anything related to their religion. Thais are very sensitive on the above issues. Remember, people kill if you offend their Prophet. The Thai reaction to apprehend and caution this person is like a picnic in the park compared to what Salman Rushdie could suffer if caught.

I can understand the Thai sensitivities and I wish they catch that person. He seemed to be a youth so he might have acted stupidly rather than disrespectfully.

Do you really want us to give you an answer back to this post

[Mot Dang]

The bells are sacred.

If they are sacred, it is rather short-sighted of the temple to have them on open-display for crowds of uneducated tourists.

But after watching the video clip, I have to say 'Is that what the fuss is all about?"

I don't want to appear to be criticizing here because I am not. Yes the bells are sacred, so why are they on open display ?

To answer that we have to go back a bit. I first climbed the stairs in December 1980. Most falang visiting or living in Changmai now would not believe that at that time only a handful of falang expats were living in CNX. Plus a few French hippies. Virtually no tourist of any description. When I first visited Wat Phra That on Doi Suthep of course the bells were there. Everyday visiting Thais would ring the bells for good luck, as they did for a very long time. They were on open-display because they were part of a working expression of Thai Buddhism. When I went to ring the bells the Thais around me were not too happy about it, but allowed me when thru one of the kids who spoke English I explained my convictions. I could see that these bells were quite special to the Thais. Ringing them conveyed good luck. And if you know Thailand, seeking good luck is a national pastime.

With the increases in the number of tourists thru the first "Amazing Thailand"campaign in ~1984, tourists from developed countries were first to arrive in numbers (after all travel to Thailand then was bloody expensive then) and mostly showed respect. Thailand's antiquities were under very little threat. There were no barricades around anything. Even at Wat Phra Keow.

The threat to murals, bells, statues etc we see today is a very new phenomenon. Not more than a few years old. Now in 2015, under TATs blind exploitation, there is a onslaught of thousands of uneducated ignorant people (who once never had the money or inclination to visit Thailand), threatening Thai heritage with petty theft and damage.

I can see soon that the authorities may decide to distance all tourists from the things they came to Thailand to see. Because of the selfish ignorant actions of these new tourists, I am afraid the bells will not be accessible to the Thais themselves who "own them".

I hope that makes sense.

Edited February 25, 2015 by Mot Dang

[cookee68]

It is not about damaged property . It is also not about religion. It is about respects of Thai culture. Do you know what Thais consider of the feet ?

Sure i understand all of the feet symbolism being the lowest part of the body, blah, blah , showing souls of feet, walking over feet..... This should be respected no doubt, but i am sure 90% of new toursists dont know this....More education need TAT.

BUT some Thai dont give a shit when they lay the boot in gangs of taxi drivers and bouncers on some poor inebriated farang toursist who's had too much to drink while spending a heap of cash at their establishment....Double standars here, [plus kicking their heads in, which is also a no no in thailand, touching ones head... What a nonsense story really.....Farang not respecting Thai culture V Thai culture not respecting farang...... where does it go from here? ONLY in Thailand.

In my wife's village you will see them with there feet up and showing their souls while relaxing in the cars with amulets on the dash, its mostly hocus pocus crap

[micmichd]

The bells are sacred.

If they are sacred, it is rather short-sighted of the temple to have them on open-display for crowds of uneducated tourists.

But after watching the video clip, I have to say 'Is that what the fuss is all about?"

I don't want to appear to be criticizing here because I am not. Yes the bells are sacred, so why are they on open display ?

To answer that we have to go back a bit. I first climbed the stairs in December 1980. Most falang visiting or living in Changmai now would not believe that at that time only a handful of falang expats were living in CNX. Plus a few French hippies. Virtually no tourist of any description. When I first visited Wat Phra That on Doi Suthep of course the bells were there. Everyday visiting Thais would ring the bells for good luck, as they did for a very long time. They were on open-display because they were part of a working expression of Thai Buddhism. When I went to ring the bells the Thais around me were not too happy about it, but allowed me when thru one of the kids who spoke English I explained my convictions. I could see that these bells were quite special to the Thais. Ringing them conveyed good luck. And if you know Thailand, seeking good luck is a national pastime.

With the increases in the number of tourists thru the first "Amazing Thailand"campaign in ~1984, tourists from developed countries were first to arrive in numbers (after all travel to Thailand then was bloody expensive then) and mostly showed respect. Thailand's antiquities were under very little threat. There were no barricades around anything. Even at Wat Phra Keow.

The threat to murals, bells, statues etc we see today is a very new phenomenon. Not more than a few years old. Now in 2015, under TATs blind exploitation, there is a onslaught of thousands of uneducated ignorant people (who once never had the money or inclination to visit Thailand), threatening Thai heritage with petty theft and damage.

I can see soon that the authorities may decide to distance all tourists from the things they came to Thailand to see. Because of the selfish ignorant actions of these new tourists, I am afraid the bells will not be accessible to the Thais themselves who "own them".

I hope that makes sense.

Thais don't hide their sanctuaries, they're open to everyone.

But there's "Don't touch" signs everywhere - even in Chinese.

[Dogmatix]

They seek him here, they seek him there,

Those Thai cops seek him everywhere.

Is he in heaven? — Is he in hell?

That damned, elusive Kicker Bell.

Edited February 25, 2015 by Dogmatix

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post has been removed as well as a reply.

[micmichd]

I don't think Thais will make their temples no-go areas for Thais or foreigners that respect Buddhism.

Rather a quick demonstration of "Thainess" for tourists. Thai Airways have brochures for that, don't know about other airlines.

[micmichd]

Of course, if disrespect continues, tourists may face a culture police someday.

And we don't want that, do we?

[micmichd]

Maybe the Chinese tourist was too drunk to read the signs.

Alcohol, alcohol, alcohol - probably Thailand's biggest problem.

[Bill Miller]

Amazing that so many people have no notion of how serious Thai people are about their religion, and the social stigma attached to inappropriate

use or display of the foot. I suppose many of those dismissing the concern over this incident also resent the cultural necessity of removing one's

shoes before entering homes or temples?

Why not spit on the floor of the Sistine Chapel? Why not piss against the Kaaba in Mecca?

If you do not respect the culture of a country then what the hell are you doing there? You may think it is superstitious rubbish,

but it is THEIR country. If you cannot respect that then go back to your own country and your own cherished superstitions and customs.

It is not just the "Ugly American" anymore .... no nationality seems exempt.

[daoyai]

Amazing that so many people have no notion of how serious Thai people are about their religion, and the social stigma attached to inappropriate

use or display of the foot. I suppose many of those dismissing the concern over this incident also resent the cultural necessity of removing one's

shoes before entering homes or temples?

Why not spit on the floor of the Sistine Chapel? Why not piss against the Kaaba in Mecca?

If you do not respect the culture of a country then what the hell are you doing there? You may think it is superstitious rubbish,

but it is THEIR country. If you cannot respect that then go back to your own country and your own cherished superstitions and customs.

It is not just the "Ugly American" anymore .... no nationality seems exempt.

To my knowlege not one poster on this thread has condoned knowingly breaking any Thai temple or cultural taboos. Yet many have insinuated such and projected their Thainess on posters that would let this incident pass as an isolated event with no real damage. News flash, the bell in question is 2 inch thick bronze, has withstood rain ,bird poop, and worse, it will outlast the plastic in the wat dump. the Chinese kung <deleted> dude just pushed the ringer with his foot and walked off, get over it.

[marios]

The first thing we learn about Thailand is to respect HM the King, the Monks and anything related to their religion. Thais are very sensitive on the above issues. Remember, people kill if you offend their Prophet. The Thai reaction to apprehend and caution this person is like a picnic in the park compared to what Salman Rushdie could suffer if caught.

I can understand the Thai sensitivities and I wish they catch that person. He seemed to be a youth so he might have acted stupidly rather than disrespectfully.

Do you really want us to give you an answer back to this post

Yes, enlighten me.

[Trouble]

Seems to me this is much ado about nothing. First off he's a tourist who probably has come from the backwater of China and has little understanding of "cultural" etiquette in Thailand or anywhere else. Second, most Thais have little understanding of their own culture. They just do what they have been shown to do. My experience with Thais is that most of them haven't a clue what their religion is about or why they do certain things or act a certain way at the temple. The wai everything in passing and go about their lives neither living nor understand Buddhist teachings. Thais don't questing the why of anything. It is just the way they are taught and brought up. I have asked many a Thai a why question when it comes to temple rituals and none have ever been able to give me a straight answer about something. They simply don't know. The boys go off and do their monk thing for 2 weeks, 2 months or whatever and learn nothing from the experience. It is ritual with little understanding of the religion itself. So this outrage over someone kicking a bell seems a little overblown to me. People do stupid things. Get over it, Thailand, and move on. If you want vast hordes of tourists, this type of things will happen from time to time. If you can't stand the very infrequent disrespect that may be shown, then better give up the tourist revenue. Try taking a stroll down Walking Street in Pattaya and see how the tourists are accosted by touts, pimps, and bargirls and show me how that is respecting tourists. Of course we all know the ripoffs of tourists paying more to see a tourist site or being scammed in one way or another so the Thais have a long way to go when it comes to cultural sensitivities.

[sirichiangmai]

I read post from forum China

that man is taiwanese

in a tour of Tainan Taiwan

sure，he is Chinese also

[micmichd]

Guess Thais know more about their own culture than tourists.

Don't bash Thais that work in the red light district of Pattaya for working there.

Nobody forced you to go to Walking Street if you feel you get ripped off there.

At least, Walking Street is not a violent area like most of the entertainment districts in the West. If you came for sexual adventure: here you get it, so don't complain.

[GeckosDiving]

About sums it up.

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

Boring repeat subject. Hillbillies will be Hillbillies even if you shoot them in the ass with a syringe full of Etiquette.

[Beetlejuice]

Appears that the TATs high expectations of attracting millions of high class socially superior rich Chinese tourists is not quite going to plan.

[Tomtomtom69]

I read post from forum China

that man is taiwanese

in a tour of Tainan Taiwan

sure，he is Chinese also

So they found him. Wow.

However, Taiwanese and Chinese are NOT the same. Almost all instances of bad tourist behavior, linked to Chinese travellers refers almost exclusively to mainland Chinese. The man is ethnically Chinese though, but Taiwanese are not Chinese, even if the PRC government would like to believe it is.