'Foreign Tourists' Must Pay 40 Baht to Visit Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai

[Roomuck]

As i have previously stated monks are only interested in money.

How can we make more, forget about all the donations they con out of local people.

More money, charge the foreigners get all we can.

Do the temples record all the moneies they get?

Do they pay tax on moneies received?

Temples now are about greed not piety.

Monks, hmmmm Catholic priest seem to be a fair bit richer... ????

Don't let facts get in the way of an anti Thai ranter.

Do churches pay tax on the money from the collection tins?

The Catholics spend a fortune of their tax free money on lawyers to defend themselves against thousands of cases of child rape and cover ups.

But let's bitch about forty baht instead and whether or not they are paying tax on it.

I am no friend of the Catholic church, just the opposite but facts are facts, the Catholic church with its many social programs throughout the world relieves the government of doing their duty towards the poorer parts of their populations,the UK and the rest of Europe included. Yes tax them by all means but the government will have to step in to take up the slack which they don't want to do which is why they aren't taxed. The temples also perform a social duty towards the poor,providing shelter and food to the very poor,taking in orphans etc.

I was responding to the claim that "monks are only interested in money" rubbish.

This bloke is always coming up with these rediculous broad statements day after day. He gets angry when Thais refer to him as "Khun" not realizing they are trying to be polite, and seems to have a problem with his wife's family. He complains about temples not paying taxes but him forgetting that he himself has been a burden on the Thai taxpayer with subsidiised medical care and should be grateful rather than slagging off the good work that thousands of people/monks are out there actually doing to help others for FREE.

Some monks may be greedy but most are not. To say repeatedly that all monks are only interested in money is plain wrong and offensive. It is a troll. And over a measly 40baht admission fee for foreign tourists to help maintain the temple. Is that really a reason to slag off the half a million monks?

Yes the church looks after the poor and so do wats. Some look after orphans, some look after the elderly and all seem to look after stray animals. If someone dies with no money(often the case) then no payment is asked from family members. The monks do the funeral for FREE. if the were ONLY interested in money they wouldn't.

The majority of monks are not rich, and the Buddhist temples do a lot more for Thailand than any church.

[Scouse Twoccer]

Yes some churches charge and I consider it to be a disgrace as well

Think you are missing the main point here. These churches don"t have big signs outside saying

Christians: Free

Catholic: Free

Buddhist: $ 10

Pretty racist if you ask me.....

The temple in the OP doesn't have those signs either.

Religions are not races.

[skorp13]

Thai dl get you in free? I have no problem paying to enter but so long as the Thais pay as well. Otherwise it is just pocket money for the operators. I have been to many many temples and i am not a Buddhist so not going doesn't bother me. I'll keep my 40 baht stay home and have a beer

[chiang mai]

How to drive foreigners/tourists out of your country lesson 101. Charge 10 times as much as Thai's, assault rape and murder tourists, charge more give less, discriminate against tourists, blame foreigners/tourists for endemic social problems etc etc.....

[connda]

Wife and I go to wats because we're Buddhist. When at a wat, we freely support the wats we visit. Force me to give money based on discriminating against me based on the color of my skin and nationality at birth, I won't go. Simple. They are making Wat Chedi Luang a tourist attraction first, and a wat second. Greed -- such a fascinating human trait. Don't even get me starting on the topic of 'true Buddhism' being hijacked by profiteers.

However, in Chiang Mai, there are hundreds of temples to choose from, and many of those having rich history and a non-discriminatory entrance policy. It's pretty sad when ฿฿฿฿฿฿ becomes more important than Dharma. True Buddhism will only survive in what's left of the forest monasteries and possibly in the stricter Dhammayuttika Nikaya and orders within Sri Lanka. The rest of Thai Buddhism seems to be in a flux and easily coaxed off 'The Path' by the mantra of ฿฿฿"Cha-Ching"฿฿฿

[Roomuck]

Imagine the outcry if the uk made all foreigners pay to go in a church.i was in a taxi in the uk yesterday and the Indian driver asked what's it like in Thailand.i told him about the racism that us farangs have to put up with and he was gob smacked.i think 40 baht ain't too bad for an hours tourist entertainment but all should pay.

You don't have to put up with it. You can stay where you are.

Bet the Indian taxi driver charged you more than the Thai price.

I am sure the Indian taxi driver had a lot of sympathy for you and your people. Did he have a work permit?

[connda]

Wat Chedi Luang is a large and important temple, people have to pay to go into large and important churches in the UK and it's sometimes over twenty Pounds, not 40 baht. And even if entry to a UK church is free, assuming it's not locked (!) the cost of upkeep is passed on to the tax payer via things such as the Chancel Repair Bill, the cost of which is borne by the tax payer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chancel_repair_liability

Wat Chedi Luang is an extremely popular temple and is a 'tourist' spot for Thais too. Most Thais will donate to the temple during their visit. My wife and I have donated at least a few thousand baht during my time in Thailand. This is beyond the scope of normal wear and tear upkeep. it's going to take a few hundred more years of farang walking around that temple to cause the bricks to wear down and need replacing. The wat has plenty of money for upkeep, repair, and upgrades -- the discriminatory fee goes beyond that. As a Theravadam Buddhist, I just find it unsettling to see those responsible for the wats being swayed by greed. It's that greed that goes totally counter to Buddhist teaching.

And this isn't England where there is no separation between church, state, and the means to levy even more taxes on an already heavily taxed populace.

[chiang mai]

OK so it's discriminatory, so what? So are the fees charged to foreigners by private hospitals, the cost of admission to tourist attractions and national parks, savings and investment products sold by banks that specifically exclude foreigners, the prices charged for goods and services throughout the country and so on and so on. Get used to it, that's the way it is here and bleating about it wont change things.

[Emster23]

Hmmm I've been living here for 15 years, so I'm no tourist. If I show my retirement permission to extend stay stamp in passport, will they still want the 40? I'm a Buddhist too, and as such don't feel a pressing need to go sample Thai style Buddhism. Muslim apologists keep saying "there is no compulsion in religion" but seems there is here at certain wats....

[kingalfred]

When temples become commercialized.

First Wat Pra Sing now Wat Chedi Luang.

Soon they will all charge, which is ridiculous in my opinion.

Money should come form the heart trough donations.

Maybe these big tour buses full with Chinese could make some sort of a collection before entering the temple compounds.

Religion is free and so should it be to go and pray at any church or temple.

Also for the abbot if he want to make money he should consider the tour operator contracts run is from November till end October and are already send out for 2017..

So operators visiting this temple can not inflate their prices any more and will skip the temple, which mean even lesser donations.

40 bath is not a lot , but for a bus with 40 persons it adds up.

I will be looking forward to see how this greedy story ends.

Nonsense, the entrance fee into UK cathedrals and greater churches ranges from ten to twenty Pounds not 40 baht!

a bit out of touch up there in CM, .Charges to.churches and cathedrals in.UK. Nonsense!!!

[ujayujay]

As i have previously stated monks are only interested in money.

How can we make more, forget about all the donations they con out of local people.

More money, charge the foreigners get all we can.

Do the temples record all the moneies they get?

Do they pay tax on moneies received?

Temples now are about greed not piety.

Be honest; you just do not want to pay. So keep it short.......

[uptheos]

I know lots of people who come to Thailand and I haven't heard one complaint regarding the meager charges some temples charge tourists.

They just pay their money ( laugh at how cheap it is) and enjoy a fantastic holiday.

[uptheos]

Try 900 baht pp approx St Pauls in London

Sightseeing opening hours - Monday to Saturday Follow the Cathedral
8.30am Doors open for sightseeing 9.30am Galleries open for access 4pm Last tickets issued 4.15pm Last entry to galleries 4.30pm Cathedral closes for sightseeing Most visitors spend in the region of 1.5 - 2 hours inside St Paul’s. On Sunday the Cathedral is open for worship only.

Admission Charges Why do you have to pay to enter St Paul's? Individual Group (10+) and Online Rates Adults (18yrs+) £18.00 £16.00 Concessions
(Students & Seniors 60yrs+) £16.00 £14.00 Children (6-17yrs) £8.00 £7.00 Family Ticket
(2 Adults + 2 Children) £44.00 £39.00 (available online only) Account Holders Negotiable Negotiable Rates valid from 4 January 2016. Buy in advance online to save up to £2.00 per ticket and gain fast-track entry.

The price of admission includes entry to the Cathedral floor, crypt and the three galleries in the dome. Admission also includes multimedia guides and guided tours (for individuals and family visitors, subject to guide availability on the day).

Sightseeing opening hours - Monday to Saturday Follow the Cathedral
8.30am Doors open for sightseeing 9.30am Galleries open for access 4pm Last tickets issued 4.15pm Last entry to galleries 4.30pm Cathedral closes for sightseeing Most visitors spend in the region of 1.5 - 2 hours inside St Paul’s. On Sunday the Cathedral is open for worship only.

Admission Charges Why do you have to pay to enter St Paul's? Individual Group (10+) and Online Rates Adults (18yrs+) £18.00 £16.00 Concessions
(Students & Seniors 60yrs+) £16.00 £14.00 Children (6-17yrs) £8.00 £7.00 Family Ticket
(2 Adults + 2 Children) £44.00 £39.00 (available online only) Account Holders Negotiable Negotiable Rates valid from 4 January 2016. Buy in advance online to save up to £2.00 per ticket and gain fast-track entry.

[chiang mai]

When temples become commercialized.

First Wat Pra Sing now Wat Chedi Luang.

Soon they will all charge, which is ridiculous in my opinion.

Money should come form the heart trough donations.

Maybe these big tour buses full with Chinese could make some sort of a collection before entering the temple compounds.

Religion is free and so should it be to go and pray at any church or temple.

Also for the abbot if he want to make money he should consider the tour operator contracts run is from November till end October and are already send out for 2017..

So operators visiting this temple can not inflate their prices any more and will skip the temple, which mean even lesser donations.

40 bath is not a lot , but for a bus with 40 persons it adds up.

I will be looking forward to see how this greedy story ends.

Nonsense, the entrance fee into UK cathedrals and greater churches ranges from ten to twenty Pounds not 40 baht!

a bit out of touch up there in CM, .Charges to.churches and cathedrals in.UK. Nonsense!!!

I stopped at the letter "C", which one would you like to go visit, price links below:

https://www.stpauls.co.uk/tickets

http://www.westminster-abbey.org/visit-us/entry-charges

http://www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk/planning-your-visit/opening-admissions/

http://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/visit/information/

https://chestercathedral.com/visit-us/group-bookings/

http://www.coventrycathedral.org.uk/wpsite/tourism/visitor-information/]

[ThaiTony2]

They now get it both ways. Entry fee and donation boxes throughout. The Sunday walking street market is across the road and many like to park in the Wat parking areas. Some walk around the grounds of the temple. Charging to visit a holy place just seems weird.

[soalbundy]

Try 900 baht pp approx St Pauls in London

Sightseeing opening hours - Monday to Saturday Follow the Cathedral

8.30am Doors open for sightseeing 9.30am Galleries open for access 4pm Last tickets issued 4.15pm Last entry to galleries 4.30pm Cathedral closes for sightseeing Most visitors spend in the region of 1.5 - 2 hours inside St Paul’s. On Sunday the Cathedral is open for worship only.

Admission Charges Why do you have to pay to enter St Paul's? Individual Group (10+) and Online Rates Adults (18yrs+) £18.00 £16.00 Concessions

(Students & Seniors 60yrs+) £16.00 £14.00 Children (6-17yrs) £8.00 £7.00 Family Ticket

(2 Adults + 2 Children) £44.00 £39.00 (available online only) Account Holders Negotiable Negotiable Rates valid from 4 January 2016. Buy in advance online to save up to £2.00 per ticket and gain fast-track entry.

The price of admission includes entry to the Cathedral floor, crypt and the three galleries in the dome. Admission also includes multimedia guides and guided tours (for individuals and family visitors, subject to guide availability on the day).

Sightseeing opening hours - Monday to Saturday Follow the Cathedral

8.30am Doors open for sightseeing 9.30am Galleries open for access 4pm Last tickets issued 4.15pm Last entry to galleries 4.30pm Cathedral closes for sightseeing Most visitors spend in the region of 1.5 - 2 hours inside St Paul’s. On Sunday the Cathedral is open for worship only.

Admission Charges Why do you have to pay to enter St Paul's? Individual Group (10+) and Online Rates Adults (18yrs+) £18.00 £16.00 Concessions

(Students & Seniors 60yrs+) £16.00 £14.00 Children (6-17yrs) £8.00 £7.00 Family Ticket

(2 Adults + 2 Children) £44.00 £39.00 (available online only) Account Holders Negotiable Negotiable Rates valid from 4 January 2016. Buy in advance online to save up to £2.00 per ticket and gain fast-track entry.

or look at it from the outside, i feel a force preventing me from going into churches and pay for the privilege, it's called meanness.

[ThaiTony2]

With the influx of Chinese visitors we all now are subject to paying.

[cmsally]

Actually talking to a lot of business people and there has been a huge drop in the number of Chinese the last few months.

Spoke to a number of abbots who seem to dislike the Chinese because of their stance on religion.

[soalbundy]

Actually talking to a lot of business people and there has been a huge drop in the number of Chinese the last few months.

Spoke to a number of abbots who seem to dislike the Chinese because of their stance on religion.

They don't cough up the cash too easily

[White Christmas13]

When temples become commercialized.

First Wat Pra Sing now Wat Chedi Luang.

Soon they will all charge, which is ridiculous in my opinion.

Money should come form the heart trough donations.

Maybe these big tour buses full with Chinese could make some sort of a collection before entering the temple compounds.

Religion is free and so should it be to go and pray at any church or temple.

Also for the abbot if he want to make money he should consider the tour operator contracts run is from November till end October and are already send out for 2017..

So operators visiting this temple can not inflate their prices any more and will skip the temple, which mean even lesser donations.

40 bath is not a lot , but for a bus with 40 persons it adds up.

I will be looking forward to see how this greedy story ends.

Nonsense, the entrance fee into UK cathedrals and greater churches ranges from ten to twenty Pounds not 40 baht!

Well maybe the poms are as greedy as the Thais I went to visit

the cathedral in cologne and i paid not a bloody cent

[KMartinHandyman]

My wife and I have been to many temples throughout Thailand and only once in BKK I paid b40 to enter. It was someplace she had never been despite living in BKK for 15 years prior to marrying.

$1.12 usd to accompany her, observe the beauty in her sincerity of worshipping in a place she had planned to go one day was priceless.

My grandmother was a devote Catholic and every Sunday my grandfather accompanied his wife to church. I never saw him receive communion or participate in the sacraments. They would each put an envelope in the collection basket and then go home for breakfast.

Supporting my spouses desire to worship comes easy to me especially when I know they are seeking blessings,protection and good fortune for us,,all this for b40 and a few voluntary baht to the funeral fund etc.

[arunsakda]

When I go to Temple I like to make Merit. Never think about paying 30 Baht at Doi Suthep, or thay I should donate less because I got fleeced at the door. The only thing that sticks in my craw is the strangeness of dual pricing in general, and how capriciously these entrance charges are applied. Paleface easy target.

A Japanese guy without a backpack/not looking touristy will blend in and not be singled out for example to pay the entrance fee, and there are not always people watching.

The honest thing to do is make an effort to pay.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CHRISTIANa9]

Plenty more temples in the sea.

It's old info, but...

"There are a total of 40,717 Buddhist temples (Thai: Wat) in Thailand as of 31 December 2004, of which 33,902 are in current use, according to the Office of National Buddhism."

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Info is still current. 6000 abandoned temples but wat dharmakaya has restarted 2000 of them as meditation centre. No monk except a caretaker trained in meditation.

[IAMHERE]

If a farang didn't pay and went in anyway; would the farang get kung food by the monks ?

[joespnet]

Why do they have the sign also in Thai?

Edited June 3, 2016 by joespnet

[marcusd]

Why do they have the sign also in Thai?

FOREIGNERS ONLY because ONLY GOOD THAI people understand Buddhism. A religion in Thailand, a way of following life in others where it was Originally from.

Thailand has corrupted it better than any other religion on earth and all with the assistance of the NEW DEMOCRATIC Government . Omg I really want to puke!

[marcusd]

When temples become commercialized.

First Wat Pra Sing now Wat Chedi Luang.

Soon they will all charge, which is ridiculous in my opinion.

Money should come form the heart trough donations.

Maybe these big tour buses full with Chinese could make some sort of a collection before entering the temple compounds.

Religion is free and so should it be to go and pray at any church or temple.

Also for the abbot if he want to make money he should consider the tour operator contracts run is from November till end October and are already send out for 2017..

So operators visiting this temple can not inflate their prices any more and will skip the temple, which mean even lesser donations.

40 bath is not a lot , but for a bus with 40 persons it adds up.

I will be looking forward to see how this greedy story ends.

I hope the THAI PEOPLE really enjoy their new love of China and how generous these demons are. In years to come they will speak of Westerners as those starnge people we once had coming and how life seems to be harder now.

Welcome all you Thia people to your new Chinadom

[marcusd]

When temples become commercialized.

First Wat Pra Sing now Wat Chedi Luang.

Soon they will all charge, which is ridiculous in my opinion.

Money should come form the heart trough donations.

Maybe these big tour buses full with Chinese could make some sort of a collection before entering the temple compounds.

Religion is free and so should it be to go and pray at any church or temple.

Also for the abbot if he want to make money he should consider the tour operator contracts run is from November till end October and are already send out for 2017..

So operators visiting this temple can not inflate their prices any more and will skip the temple, which mean even lesser donations.

40 bath is not a lot , but for a bus with 40 persons it adds up.

I will be looking forward to see how this greedy story ends.

Nonsense, the entrance fee into UK cathedrals and greater churches ranges from ten to twenty Pounds not 40 baht!

Well you go back and pay. In Europe MOST are free. As we say in Oz, miserable pommies!

[Beng]

Ridiculous.

[TheSiemReaper]

If anyone ever wants to know the pathetic state of affairs of expatriate life in Thailand the responses to this post will be highly illuminating. Yet more cheap skatery dressed up as "it's the principle". No, it's not the principle.

Any Thai Buddhist visiting a temple will naturally make a donation (to make merit and because it's the "right thing to do" culturally). Foreigners, on the other hand, are likely to feel no such compulsion (in general - there always exceptions but you don't right rules to pander to exceptions but rather to cater to general cases). They cause wear and tear on the building and asking them to contribute a little to the upkeep is not racist but rather fair.

It is worth noting that regarding the UK comparison: Yes, churches and cathedrals often ask for a donation but it's actually not mandatory to pay it. Just tell the person on the door you've come to worship/pray and you'll be allowed to enter for free (because they are after all a Christian place of worship). This is something that most British Christians know and take for granted but that foreigners (Christian or not) are most likely to be blissfully unaware of.