Phallus dispute shuts temple down, temporarily

[Thaivisa News]

Nakhon Si Thammarat – A Buddhist temple has temporarily shut itself down following a dispute with a surrounding community over the installation of a phallus.

Wat Kang Pla abbot Worathamphiphat put up a billboard declaring that his temple would remain closed until the dispute could be resolved.

Worathampipat, also the chief monk of Bang Khan district, said he wanted to get to the bottom of the dispute before resuming the religious service.

He said the temple had commissioned the carving of a log into the phallus object.

The phallus was installed at the roadside leading to the temple.

The chief monk said the phallus was meant to attract attention to the temple, hence boosting the number of visitors to stop by and make merit.

He said the phallus had drawn people to the temple, arguing it served for publicity purpose and did not tamper with the religious belief.

Residents of the community located nearby the temple had a different view, however.

They recently petitioned the temple to remove the phallus, saying it was an eye sore and that it was the object for animistic worship and not compatible with Buddhism.

The temple rejected the petition and insisted on keeping the phallus.

Last week, the phallus mysteriously disappeared from the roadside. It was later found at a dumpsite.

The temple abbot said perpetrators should step forward to claim responsibility.

He said he wanted to know why the perpetrators had intervened in what he said was the temple’s affairs to deal with the phallus.

No one has the rights to override the temple’s decision to install and keep the phallus, he said.

Until the phallus dispute is resolved, some 30 monks at the temple would cease to perform religious activities, such as anointing the new home, giving blessing to a wedding and chanting for the merit-making ceremony, he said.

[NeverSure]

I wonder if the monks will also then stop begging for food and money and jets and Lamborghini's.

[NeilSA1]

Makes me laugh, what a strange story to start the working week off with.

"...the chief monk of Bang Khan district, said he wanted to get to the bottom of the (phallus) dispute...."

[EyesWideOpen]

The monks of Thailand continue to make fools of themselves on an ongoing

basis. Putting a giant dick on the road to increase donations..... Could not possibly

make this up. Would be fun to compile all these headlines and print them into

a comedy book.

[harrry]

Rubbish left on the roadside. Book them for illegal dumping and the costs of putting the phallus in the correct place....

[Local Drunk]

Somchai said to Bammy: "Look at that giant phallus carved from a big brown log!"

Bammy said: I didn't know they came in sizes or colours! Let's go to the temple!

Somchai said: I'm not going to make merit today, and as I have told you so many times, (he grabs his crotch) and says, "This is three meters!"

Bammy said: Let's go to the temple. I want to make merit with a three meter phallus!

Somchai said: I have three meters!

Bammy said: Ok, I'll google conversion tables on my smart phone.

Somchai said: OK...

Bammy said: What are inches?

Edited to say... This is satire

Edited April 27, 2015 by Local Drunk

[Peabody]

"They recently petitioned the temple to remove the phallus, saying it was an eye sore and that it was the object for animistic worship and not compatible with Buddhism."

Too animistic for Thai-style Buddhism? Is that even possible?

[Just1Voice]

I gotta side with the villagers on this one. A "phallus" symbol to attract tourists? Just what kind of tourists were they hoping to attract?

[Pimay1]

Until the phallus dispute is resolved, some 30 monks at the temple would cease to perform religious activities, such as anointing the new home, giving blessing to a wedding and chanting for the merit-making ceremony, he said. The chief monk said the phallus was meant to attract attention to the temple, hence boosting the number of visitors to stop by and make merit thus enhancing the riches of the temple.

Fixed that.

It looks like their money making scheme has backfired. That will certainly save the locals enough money to plant and harvest their crops for the next two or three years. Why stop with a giant dildo? Why not carve out the nine basic Chinese sex positions and place them along the side of the road? After all that has nothing to do with religion either and no one has the rights to override the temple’s decision.

It would be nice to see a background check on this goofball monk.

[wirat69]

Maybe they should drill some holes in it and collect donations!

[skildpadden]

"They recently petitioned the temple to remove the phallus, saying it was an eye sore and that it was the object for animistic worship and not compatible with Buddhism."

They said while visiting the fortuneteller, getting a magic tattoo and looking for lottery numbers in odd places,

[Emster23]

They need to get a grip on themselves. Maybe if they made it life size (as per recent news item) it would be too small to notice?

[Rhys]

This is the same groups that used the 4 ps to promote that Jatoo kam ram ma tep amulet, back awhile ago.. All the hoopla.. when it was all done.. they found the same blessed materials dumped by the side of the road.

Would the generals care to invite the wearers of the robes to readjustment sessions.

Balif, whack his _______ .

Cheers mates

Edited April 27, 2015 by Rhys

[Lee4Life]

I hope the community sticks by their guns. My understanding of Buddhism is that it promotes peace and humility, if so then the Abbott should do as the community wishes.

[elgordo38]

I gotta side with the villagers on this one. A "phallus" symbol to attract tourists? Just what kind of tourists were they hoping to attract?

Quality ones doing fertility prayers.

[CantSpell]

"Until the phallus dispute is resolved, some 30 monks at the temple would cease to perform religious activities"....

Must be some powerful phallus with a serious resolve

[Traveling Sailor]

What I don't understand is, what right does the temple have to place stuff any place they feel like it? I can understand if they placed the "advertisement" on their own property, but on public or someone else's property, I have to agree with the villagers.

[Shiver]

I was talking with a monk friend a couple of weeks back, and the issue of money came up (in relation to getting an asset register for all the temples, and the real life complexities of implementing that and getting compliance/cooperation). He told me how much the value of the total assets are of all the temples in Thailand is thought to be, and although I don't want to talk specific numbers on here, I will say it was a jaw dropping number that makes GDP look rather small.

They're wanting for nothing, but over recent years they do seem to be developing an image problem from a few rogue characters, which is a tiny fraction of the total number of monks, but the image sticks and taints them all. They get more food than they can handle (and so give it to the dogs rather than waste it, which is why you see so many stay at the temple), more orange plastic buckets full of, well full of nothing useful really.

I also think they should be clear about what is animism and what is buddhism, so people know what they're practising, why, and who to. I strongly suspect many people don't realise that it's a mix. But it's not a foreigners place to ask questions.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Shiver

[Halion]

In a country that claims that this nation is highly religious within the teaching and doctrine of Buddhism , yet a petition is needed to remove a wooden penis placed on the roadside by the monks in order to attract visitors and their incumbent donations know locally as making merit.

The culprits should be DE-frocked and kicked out on their sad little ass's

[LivinginKata]

post removed - off topic and obscene.

[Sviss Geez]

Somchai said to Bammy: "Look at that giant phallus carved from a big brown log!"

Bammy said: I didn't know they came in sizes or colours! Let's go to the temple!

Somchai said: I'm not going to make merit today, and as I have told you so many times, (he grabs his crotch) and says, "This is three meters!"

Bammy said: Let's go to the temple. I want to make merit with a three meter phallus!

Somchai said: I have three meters!

Bammy said: Ok, I'll google conversion tables on my smart phone.

Somchai said: OK...

Bammy said: What are inches?

Edited to say... This is satire

Couldn't be farther away from satire.

[nahkit]

I was talking with a monk friend a couple of weeks back, and the issue of money came up (in relation to getting an asset register for all the temples, and the real life complexities of implementing that and getting compliance/cooperation). He told me how much the value of the total assets are of all the temples in Thailand is thought to be, and although I don't want to talk specific numbers on here, I will say it was a jaw dropping number that makes GDP look rather small.

They're wanting for nothing, but over recent years they do seem to be developing an image problem from a few rogue characters, which is a tiny fraction of the total number of monks, but the image sticks and taints them all. They get more food than they can handle (and so give it to the dogs rather than waste it, which is why you see so many stay at the temple), more orange plastic buckets full of, well full of nothing useful really.

I also think they should be clear about what is animism and what is buddhism, so people know what they're practising, why, and who to. I strongly suspect many people don't realise that it's a mix. But it's not a foreigners place to ask questions.

I know that in some cases, the orange plastic buckets (and contents) are sold back to the shop that supplied them, for a fraction of the cost.

[Sviss Geez]

I gotta side with the villagers on this one. A "phallus" symbol to attract tourists? Just what kind of tourists were they hoping to attract?

They weren't trying to attract tourists, that word was never mentioned, they were trying to attract more visitors to make merit, i.e. locals more than likely.

[nidieunimaitre]

"They recently petitioned the temple to remove the phallus, saying it was an eye sore and that it was the object for animistic worship and not compatible with Buddhism."

Too animistic for Thai-style Buddhism? Is that even possible?

There might possibly maybe be real Buddhists in that part of Thailand.

[Farang99]

"They recently petitioned the temple to remove the phallus, saying it was an eye sore and that it was the object for animistic worship and not compatible with Buddhism."

Too animistic for Thai-style Buddhism? Is that even possible?

The phallus (= lingam) is a sacred symbol in Hinduism, representing Shiva. The Thai version of Buddhism incorporates many elements of Hinduism (e.g Ganesh and Hanuman are both saints in Thai) so the installation of a phallus would be nothing out of line.

[bangon04]

"They recently petitioned the temple to remove the phallus, saying it was an eye sore and that it was the object for animistic worship and not compatible with Buddhism."

They said while visiting the fortuneteller, getting a magic tattoo and looking for lottery numbers in odd places,

You forgot.. shaking out little sticks, pouring oils, ringing bells, tossing satang coins into buckets, tying ribbons around sacred trees, giving silks to dead women ghosts, releasing eels into the same river 10 times per day, releasing little birds from cages ten times a day, buying fish food and tossing it into the river, buying fake amulets, fake statues, throwing dice and all the other 101 sideshows in a large urban temple which are designed to make money.

Haven't seen a coconut shy yet, but wouldn't be surprised. How about a "Dunk The Monk" stall (3 balls for 20 Baht?)

[Local Drunk]

Somchai said to Bammy: "Look at that giant phallus carved from a big brown log!"

Bammy said: I didn't know they came in sizes or colours! Let's go to the temple!

Somchai said: I'm not going to make merit today, and as I have told you so many times, (he grabs his crotch) and says, "This is three meters!"

Bammy said: Let's go to the temple. I want to make merit with a three meter phallus!

Somchai said: I have three meters!

Bammy said: Ok, I'll google conversion tables on my smart phone.

Somchai said: OK...

Bammy said: What are inches?

Edited to say... This is satire

Couldn't be farther away from satire.

1. "Satire is a genre of literature, and sometimes graphic and performing arts, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, corporations, government or society itself, into improvement."
2. I know I only wrote eight lines... but if you can't see it, then I'll certainly make it longer.

[nidieunimaitre]

"They recently petitioned the temple to remove the phallus, saying it was an eye sore and that it was the object for animistic worship and not compatible with Buddhism."

Too animistic for Thai-style Buddhism? Is that even possible?

The phallus (= lingam) is a sacred symbol in Hinduism, representing Shiva. The Thai version of Buddhism incorporates many elements of Hinduism (e.g Ganesh and Hanuman are both saints in Thai) so the installation of a phallus would be nothing out of line.

QUOTES:

....at the road side.....

....to attract visitors....

....(monk) arguing it served for publicity purpose.....

Indeed, as you say, nothing out of line.

[Artisi]

Trust the locals respond to the monk's threats of no "monk magic" by not feeding them for a week or two - should sort that little problem out very quickly

[khaowong1]

The Phallus symbol in Thailand is all over the place.. There used to be a hotel in Bangkok that had these through out the gardens. Don't know if it's still there or not. The first time I saw one was about 20 years ago. A monk had one on a key chain, I thought, <deleted>?