Locals cry foul as farang climbs on sacred Samui landmark

[ClutchClark]

"Locals"?  I met one local the entire two months I was in Samui. I saw him for 10 seconds as he carried three rifles from his truck to his house. 

 

"Sacred"? That is not an expression I think of when I think of Samui. The only thing sacred there is chasing the Baht...anything else that would have wualified as sacred was torn down or built over to meet the rampant and unregulated construction boom.

 

 

[Rhys]

1. Must be the relative of that vegan bike rider...up in Chieng Mai..

[Tingtau]

I can understand the local Thai people being upset, even furious, at something which they understand from their upbringing to be a sacrilege.  And I would agree with them being furious with the "farang" for having committed such a sacrilege.....if there were evidence to indicate that such an awareness were made known to this 'farang'.  In fact, we are advised that the sign which described this as being a "sacred Samui landmark" had been allowed to fall into such as state of disrepair, that a visitor unless verbally advised, would not have any way of being aware of such being the case.  So, rather than get all bent out of shape over the 'farang" unknowingly committing an act of perceived sacrilege, get bent out of shape over the officials that failed to maintain the sign that would have advised the "farang" that climbing was a forbidden act!!  In a "tourist funded" country, I should think that sensible members of government would make every effort to ensure that the visitor can be properly informed.  Yes, the visitor has a duty to make enquiries about the various customs prior to and during their visit, but surely it would be unreasonable to expect that one could anticipate visiting such a place.  Without such anticipation, how is it reasonable to expect the visitor to KNOW that such a place is off-limits!! No, I know that some visitors may be louts, but where there is a clear dereliction such as here, on the part of the Tourist Authority to ensure that proper signage is maintained, they are at fault, not the tourist climbing what is....just an inviting challenge to climb!!

[MiKT]

4 minutes ago, Tingtau said:

I can understand the local Thai people being upset, even furious, at something which they understand from their upbringing to be a sacrilege.  And I would agree with them being furious with the "farang" for having committed such a sacrilege.....if there were evidence to indicate that such an awareness were made known to this 'farang'.  In fact, we are advised that the sign which described this as being a "sacred Samui landmark" had been allowed to fall into such as state of disrepair, that a visitor unless verbally advised, would not have any way of being aware of such being the case.  So, rather than get all bent out of shape over the 'farang" unknowingly committing an act of perceived sacrilege, get bent out of shape over the officials that failed to maintain the sign that would have advised the "farang" that climbing was a forbidden act!!  In a "tourist funded" country, I should think that sensible members of government would make every effort to ensure that the visitor can be properly informed.  Yes, the visitor has a duty to make enquiries about the various customs prior to and during their visit, but surely it would be unreasonable to expect that one could anticipate visiting such a place.  Without such anticipation, how is it reasonable to expect the visitor to KNOW that such a place is off-limits!! No, I know that some visitors may be louts, but where there is a clear dereliction such as here, on the part of the Tourist Authority to ensure that proper signage is maintained, they are at fault, not the tourist climbing what is....just an inviting challenge to climb!!

 

 

Can't you read, follow the thread, this group of rocks is not sacred to Thai's and there was never a sign that said "Sacred Samui landmark".  The rusted, fallen down sign basically said "don't climb on the rock".

 

Naturally enough, because there are many places round the world where visitors are encouraged (ordered) not to climb on local landmarks, not because they are sacred, but because they should not be damaged or defaced, exposed to erosion, etc. It ruins it for other tourists and the locals.

 

Something you very regrettably see all over Thailand at previously pleasant scenic spots, caves, etc. ruined, not by foreign tourists, but by Thai's.

 

Yes people do have  a duty to ensure they are informed about local customs and beliefs and I have made sure that, as far as practical for a non-Thai, I am very respectful to Thai culture.

 

But I never had a problem with my Thai kids climbing on this rock, on  visits to Samui because there was not even a "no climbing" sign until relatively recently and being 100% Thai, they knew it was not a 'sacred spot". The locals would have very certainly put them in their place if it was fractionally sacred.

 

But you are right in one thing, the tourist authority should have ensured the  "No climbing" sign was in good order. But you can bet they would have if it was a sacred spot. You can never go in the remotest Wat without signs reminding foreign visitors to take of shoes etc.

 

The current ho-har is about selling food not sacrilege.

 

 

[MiKT]

On ‎24‎/‎08‎/‎2016 at 9:08 AM, Sphere said:

"Sacred" landmark?

 

It's possible someone confused that penis rock with the hard rock cafe.

 

I don't think so, I never saw any cracking hiso birds dancing on the cok rok with Waiters and Bar Girls at 12 PM like they used to dance on the bar "back in the day" when the Hard Rock Café was.

[forrwhat]

On 8/23/2016 at 5:37 PM, ljd1308 said:

Why not? I would assume there are warning signs about not doing it. Stonehenge is also man made out of rocks, they did not just appear there naturally.

 

How can you distinguish between a rock you are allowed to climb and rock you are not?

 

I would also like to know in what way a penis shaped rock is sacred to(presumably) buddhism, is it buddha's old fella?

Thailand is a combination of Animist and Buddhism.  The phallus is a symbol of fertility in many cultures, countries and and religions especially in the Pacific rim.

[Basil B]

Clearly it is obvious there is a big fracture/fault in the structure and given the angle of the fault the head is going to fall off one day... The Thais do not want some ____ making that day come any sooner.