temple
- Thailand News
Less Thais visiting temples due to Covid-19, religious tourism at a loss
While Google searches for “prayers” spiked during the Covid-19 outbreak, people in Thailand are spending less time going to temples to pray. In a recent poll, less people are travelling to temples and making merit due to the pandemic, according to the Commerce Ministry’s Trade Policy and Strategy Office. The office recently did a poll and found that 44% of…
- Thailand News
Lottery winning monk leaves temple because so many people asked for money
The monk who recently won 18 million baht in the lottery and decided to give the winnings away apparently had to leave his temple because people kept coming by asking him for money. He’s now at a temple at another province, but he’s keeping the location a secret. A monk at Wat Thinnakorn Nimit in Nonthaburi, just outside Bangkok, says…
- Thailand News
Monk wins 18 million baht in lottery, donates money to temple
A monk won 18 million baht in the recent lottery and decided to donate the winnings. 67 year old Montri Samajjo, known as Monk Piak, says he didn’t buy the tickets with the hopes of winning. He bought them because a lottery ticket seller came by temple asking for help. The monk gave 1 million baht to each of his…
- Crime News
Armed men allegedly steal more than 100,000 baht from Ayutthaya monk
Police are searching for men who allegedly robbed a monk at an Ayutthaya temple, taking off with more than 100,000 baht in cash. Thai media reports that 2 of the men have been arrested and police are still searching for the other 2 men. The monk was in his room at the Dokmai Buddhist Temple when he heard dogs barking.…
- Crime News
Phuket man arrested for posing as a monk, asking for money
A man allegedly posing as a monk to solicit donations and 3 others allegedly involved in the scam were arrested by Phuket police. Some complaints regarding the fake monk had reached the governor. Police say they found a man dressed in the orange robe and 3 others sitting in the back of a pickup truck with a bag full of money.…
- Crime News
Man treks up and down hill temple to steal donation box, finds out it’s empty
A man attempted to steal donations made to a Chonburi temple only to discover there was nothing inside. Not only that, roughly 500 steps lead up to the hill temple. He didn’t notice the box was empty until he was back down at the bottom. After walking up hundreds of steep steps and walking down with a heavy box, the…
- Northern Thailand News
Abbot arrested and defrocked after taking “up-skirt” videos of teenage girl
The abbot of a temple in northeastern Thailand has been arrested and defrocked after being accused of taking “up-skirt” videos of a teenage girl. The incident is understood to have taken place while the 16 year old girl was visiting the temple on a merit-making trip with her family. The abbot has been named as 48 year old Thanachai Srisuriyawong…
- Covid-19 News
Covid-19 found in 3 Thai monks at Las Vegas temple
The Royal Thai consulate-general in Los Angeles confirmed yesterday that 3 Thai Buddhist monks at a temple in Las Vegas have contracted Covid-19. “The temple has 5 monks, who were tested for Covid-19 on July 13. The test results showed 3 have the virus. 2 monks were rushed to the hospital in critical condition and have been on respirators since,…
- Thai Life
Blaze destroys part of historic Si Ayutthaya temple
Wat Chang Thong, built in the Ayutthaya period, has suffered severe fire damage last night as a blaze gutted one of its teak pavilions. Damage is estimated at 20 million baht. Police say the inferno at the temple in tambon Ko Rian, Si Ayutthaya district was reported about 9pm. The area is about 2 hours north of Bangkok city. Some…
- Thai Life
Chulalongkorn University defends shrine demolition for new condos
Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University is defending its plan to demolish a historic Thai-Chinese shrine on its grounds to clear the land for high-rise buildings with condominiums and dormitories. A statement from the university’s estate office says the Chao Mae Tabtim Saphan Luang Shrine will be rebuilt at a new location close to the original site within 6 months, with a re-opening…
- Bangkok News
Controversy over university’s plan to demolish Chinese shrine
A Bangkok university plans to demolish a historic Chinese shrine on the property to build student dormitories. The shrine’s caretakers have until next week before they are evicted to make way for Chulalongkorn University’s new buildings. But the caretakers and student activists say “no.” Apparently the university has been pressing keepers of the Thapthim Goddess Shrine to move for about 2…
- South Thailand News
Police officer faces scrutiny after flying helicopter onto temple grounds
A high-ranking tourist police officer landed the department’s helicopter at a famous Buddhist temple in Southern Thailand. The senior regional officer for the Tourism Police Bureau parked the helicopter inside the compound of the Wat Chedi in Sichon, a district in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Why a car wouldn’t have been a sufficient means of transportation has not been addressed by…
- Thailand News
Udon Thani temple blaze, abbot’s death likely caused by short circuit
Investigators in Udon Thani in Thailand’s north believe a short circuit was the cause of a fire at Wat Pa Ban Tad forest temple that killed a revered abbot. The assistant national police chief yesterday led senior officers and Udon Thani’s deputy governor to inspect the fire-ravaged living quarters of Phra Ajarn Sudjai Thanthamano, the abbot, who died in the…
- Bangkok News
Woman charged after abandoning cats at Wat Pho
A Bangkok woman has been fined after she tossed five bags, each containing a cat, over a wall and into Wat Pho on Sunday evening. Maybe she thought she was doing a good deed by dumping the cats off at the Bangkok temple, but she was dressed like a common thief working at night. Videos show her dressed in all…
- Northern Thailand News
Udon Thani temple blaze claims abbot’s life
A famous forest temple in Issan’s Udon Thani province caught fire yesterday, claiming the life of its abbot. The temple has long been associated with the late Maha Bua Yannasampanno, thought by many of his followers to be an Arahant (someone who has attained Enlightenment) and a master in the Thai Forest Tradition. 75 year old Phra Ajarn Sudjai Thanthamano…
- Covid-19 News
Stranded Russian student earns his room and board at Surat Thani temple
Ivan’s life has taken quite an unexpected turn. The young Russian student probably never expected to be handing out meals alongside Buddhist monks in somewhere in southern Thailand, but that’s how he spends his days now that he’s broke and stranded. He survives on meals from, and helps out where he can, at a temple in Surat Thani. Phra Khru…
- Crime News
Monk defrocked and arrested after allegedly shooting man in the testicles
A monk at Wat Mongkhol Nimit in Samut Prakan, just south of Bangkok, has been defrocked and arrested for shooting another man who was living at the same temple. Police arrested 46 year old Phra Apiram Ruengthip at his living quarters on Friday evening. The former monk claims he only shot in self-defense. Police say they seized an unregistered handgun…
- Environment News
Bangkok temple develops hygienic face mask from recycled plastics
During the nationwide closure of temples and festivities during the Songkran holiday this week, some are taking the opportunity to improve hygienic practices. To help protect members of the temple and the community from contracting Coronavirus, the Abbot from Chak Daeng temple, on the banks of the Chao Phraya just south of Bangkok, has been busy crafting recycled plastics into face…
- Covid-19 News
Broke and stranded, Russian tourists take shelter in Phuket temple
When their flight was eventually cancelled, they had no money left and decided to walk from the airport. They didn’t know where to go. When they came across Wat Mai Khao they asked to take refuge there. Tourism authorities in Phuket are now trying to help the 3 stranded Russian tourists who have taken shelter at the local temple. Their…
- South Thailand News
Man walks into his own funeral in southern Thailand
It was the double-take of the year. In the middle of a funeral at a local temple in Nakhon Si Thammarat, southern Thailand, the man, who was the main attraction at the event, walked into his own funeral. After attendees got over their surprise, and relief, that their relative was actually alive, the question arose, “who is the person inside…
- Krabi News
Man drowns while catching fish in Krabi temple lagoon
A man has drowned in a lagoon while he was trying to catch fish inside an animal sanctuary area adjacent to a Krabi temple. Mueang Krabi Police were notified of the incident at the Kowaram Temple in Mueang Krabi District at 5.30pm yesterday. Police and emergency responders arrived at the temple lagoon and joined in the search for the missing man.…
- Thai Life
Undoing a 90 year ban on female monks
STORY & PHOTOS: Kate Geraghty Perspective from Sydney Morning Herald writer Kate Geraghty. It’s not only western religions that bar woman from participation in religious teachings. It’s 4am and the odd rooster is crowing in the cool hours before day breaks and three saffron-robed monks from the all-female Songdhammakalyani Monastery are making their way through the back streets of Nakhon Pathom,…
- Thailand News
Man dies instantly in temple fireworks explosion in Chaiyaphum
A 59 year old man, serving as a civil defence volunteer at a Chaiyaphum temple fair, has been killed instantly after picking up a seemingly half-lit giant fireworks pipe that then blew up in his face. Chaiyaphum is in central Thailand, north-east of Bangkok. The incident took place at Wat Ban Muang Kao in Kaset Sombun district last night. The annual…
- South Thailand News
Two monks killed in temple shooting at Narathiwat
PHOTO: The Nation “We believe that at least six assailants were involved in the shooting and are at large,” – police spokesman in the Su-ngai Padi district. Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has condemned the latest violence in southern province Narathiwat where two monks were gunned down and others injured last night (Friday). Narathiwat is Thailand’s southern-most province. Government spokesman Puttipong Bunnakun…
- Bangkok News
Man arrested for alleged attempted rape of nine year old girl
by Kornkamon Aksorndech and Supachai Phetchthewee Police have arrested a motorcycle taxi driver for allegedly luring a nine year old girl into a Bangkok temple toilet yesterday in an attempt to rape her. The alleged incident took place at 5pm at the Wat Yoo Dee Bumrungtham (Wat Or Ngern) toilet in the Saimai district. The alleged assault was stopped when the…
