Chiang Mai: Astrologer monk rebuked for touching schoolgirl

[webfact]

Astrologer Monk Rebuked for Touching Schoolgirl
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


A screenshot of a monk giving a palm reading to two schoolgirls in his residence, one of which he held by the hand, posted by <deleted> Ghost Facebook page.

CHIANG MAI — For touching a female schoolchild during a horoscope reading, a monk in the northern province of Chiang Mai has formally reprimanded by Buddhist authorities.

The Office of National Buddhism’s regional chapter issued a warning Monday after online skeptics posted a photo said to be of a monk at Wat Baan Koh Luang giving a palm reading to two schoolgirls in his residence, one of which he held by the hand.

“Please squeeze my hand, and tell me I’m not dreaming today,” read the mocking caption posted to the Facebook page <deleted> Ghost, a group dedicated to debunking superstition in Thailand, quoting a pop song.

Buddhist dogma bans monks from touching women or spending time with them in private.

The Saturday post prompted Chiang Mai’s branch of the state agency governing Buddhist affairs to issue a statement Monday that giving horoscopes, especially to women, is inappropriate for monks.

Source: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1446014514


-- Khaosod English 2015-10-28

[ClutchClark]

Caught red-handed.

[SuwadeeS]

Monks are also men.

[easybullet3]

Astrologer monk was searching for uranus but got caught

[freebyrd]

I thought monks weren't allowed to touch females, even their Mother's? They can't sit next to women on buses etc?

[Maggusoil]

Otherwise known as a "contact high". Thou shalt not covet thy palm reading subject.

[Pimay1]

Buddhist dogma bans monks from touching women or spending time with them in private.

Joke of the day.

[skildpadden]

At the same time they were prepared to ban a movie in which a monk touches a female - they claimed it was destroying Buddhism - but when it happens in real life they just give a warning?

[chinostar]

Since when did the Buddha teach 'palm reading'? Thai Buddhism in its best....

[Nemesis7]

there are thousands of similar stories goes unpublished in Thailand.

[MadMuhummad]

At the same time they were prepared to ban a movie in which a monk touches a female - they claimed it was destroying Buddhism - but when it happens in real life they just give a warning?

So, are they supposed to ban pictures now? I'm lost as to what you're trying to say.....

[springheeled jack]

it seems to me that these monks need to be taught how to behave themselves not just in public but also in private they seem to be sadly lacking in etiquette .

Edited October 28, 2015 by springheeled jack

[justanotheroldhippy]

A Buddhist Monk has no right to be misleading people into thinking he can 'forecasting the future'... Buddha would give him a slap and kick him out of the temple. 'Magic' and fortune telling (as well as a load of other stuff done by Monks) has no place in the Buddhism taught by Buddha. In fact it was one of the biggest crimes for a Monk to feel (or give the impression) that he was any better than any person not a Monk, or indeed any other Monk. These Monks that think they somehow have some kind of magic should not be Monks... they are a disgrace to Buddhism... Monks sitting in big pots of boiling water using their 'magic' to protect themselves... Monks that can tell the future... Monks that can imbibe an amulet with magical powers of protection etc etc... Buddha must be turning in his grave! The touching of the young girl just confirms the fact that this man is not worthy of those robes... pathetic.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Not only did the Monk do a boo boo, but now we have ThaiVisa posts where news reports use the F-bomb word because it's apparently the name of a Facebook group.

Will wonders never cease.

[tom21]

he should of had a sign. NO PICTURES PLEASE

[ClutchClark]

So was the friend taking a selfie or intentionally attempting to get a shot of the offense?

[wotaplonker]

is there a more nonsensical practice than astrology, give me strength !!

[mikiea]

Caught red-handed.

not his vault , the yaba made him do it ...........

[mikiea]

A Buddhist Monk has no right to be misleading people into thinking he can 'forecasting the future'... Buddha would give him a slap and kick him out of the temple. 'Magic' and fortune telling (as well as a load of other stuff done by Monks) has no place in the Buddhism taught by Buddha. In fact it was one of the biggest crimes for a Monk to feel (or give the impression) that he was any better than any person not a Monk, or indeed any other Monk. These Monks that think they somehow have some kind of magic should not be Monks... they are a disgrace to Buddhism... Monks sitting in big pots of boiling water using their 'magic' to protect themselves... Monks that can tell the future... Monks that can imbibe an amulet with magical powers of protection etc etc... Buddha must be turning in his grave! The touching of the young girl just confirms the fact that this man is not worthy of those robes... pathetic.

in the states we call them pedo freaks or priests ............................

[The Deerhunter]

Amazing Thailand. Astrology is reading palms now,is it,according to some posters? I thought astrology had something to do with stars and stuff. Silly me.

[TheAppletons]

Amazing Thailand. Astrology is reading palms now,is it,according to some posters? I thought astrology had something to do with stars and stuff. Silly me.

No, but astronomy does.

[csabo]

....and I am pretty sure he is naked under his clothes too!! The horror!

[puukao]

But when I go to Thailand, I look at the monks as if they are GODS.....like when a kid going to church.......i can't handle any more brainwashing!!!

just tell me what to believe!!!

[khaowong1]

A Buddhist Monk has no right to be misleading people into thinking he can 'forecasting the future'... Buddha would give him a slap and kick him out of the temple. 'Magic' and fortune telling (as well as a load of other stuff done by Monks) has no place in the Buddhism taught by Buddha. In fact it was one of the biggest crimes for a Monk to feel (or give the impression) that he was any better than any person not a Monk, or indeed any other Monk. These Monks that think they somehow have some kind of magic should not be Monks... they are a disgrace to Buddhism... Monks sitting in big pots of boiling water using their 'magic' to protect themselves... Monks that can tell the future... Monks that can imbibe an amulet with magical powers of protection etc etc... Buddha must be turning in his grave! The touching of the young girl just confirms the fact that this man is not worthy of those robes... pathetic.

It is one of the four big no-no's for a monk to claim he has supernatural powers, see into the future, astral project, etc. He should have been asked to dis-robe. But in Thailand, predicting the future is very common for monks. Why this is so, I can not tell you. It's been going on for hundreds of years. Many of the late so called guru monks so highly revered in Thailand were said to have been able to do tarot readings, palm readings, astral travel and on and on. You seldom see a temple in Thailand or anywhere any more, that actually teaches the word of the Buddha. It's now all ceremony and magic shows.

[Johpa]

I have seen monks touch prepubescent children before in public and the locals never seemed to be taken aback. In this photo he appears to have his hand on his knee adjacent to the palm-up hand of the child. Am I the only one who does not find the photo particularly scandalous?

[TooPoopedToPop]

I have seen monks touch prepubescent children before in public and the locals never seemed to be taken aback. In this photo he appears to have his hand on his knee adjacent to the palm-up hand of the child. Am I the only one who does not find the photo particularly scandalous?

Agreed.

Tempest in a teapot.

But if the monk was anything but clueless he would have known better than to do it.

[khaowong1]

I have seen monks touch prepubescent children before in public and the locals never seemed to be taken aback. In this photo he appears to have his hand on his knee adjacent to the palm-up hand of the child. Am I the only one who does not find the photo particularly scandalous?

I also see nothing wrong in the photo. Even if he was in his private quarters, if there was another monk in there with him when he was with the females, he is still ok with the rules. There's a big difference between touching and touching. Some touching almost always happens with monks, can't escape it all. I used to tap younger girls, pre-teenagers, on the head with a chant book or a bamboo back scratcher I carried. Never with my hand. And say a blessing for them. I've seen monks use a bamboo stick to trace lines in women's palms while doing palmistry. Touching happens. It's the touching with intent that gets monks in trouble.

[khaowong1]

I have seen monks touch prepubescent children before in public and the locals never seemed to be taken aback. In this photo he appears to have his hand on his knee adjacent to the palm-up hand of the child. Am I the only one who does not find the photo particularly scandalous?

Agreed.

Tempest in a teapot.

But if the monk was anything but clueless he would have known better than to do it.

Your right. I never allowed women, any females, into my private quarters, and never allowed myself to be in any room alone with the female persuasion. Just asking for trouble.

[jacko45k]

I thought monks weren't allowed to touch females, even their Mother's? They can't sit next to women on buses etc?

Yes, nor bring them into their private residence, that is the point.

Thais actually expect exemplary behaviour of their monks, otherwise how can they bestow blessing and deserve the high level of respect they are given. Men are men though.....

[khaowong1]

I've looked at the photo over and over. It may be his private residence but looks to me as an area where people come to have consultation with this monk. He may indeed sleep on a mat over in the corner somewhere in the same room but where he's sitting in the photo is a reception area. It's not like he's sitting on his bed and fondling the girls hand.