Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
bossed with a Buddha figure or containing sacred soil from a revered temple to pro-
tect the wearer from misfortune.
Monks & Monasteries
Every Thai male is expected to become a monk (
prá
or
prá pík·sù
in Thai) for a
short period in his life, optimally between the time he finishes school and the time
he starts a career or marries. A family earns great merit when one of its sons 'takes
robe and bowl' and many young men enter the monastery to make merit for a de-
ceased patriarch or matriarch. Traditionally, Buddhist Lent (
pan·săh
), which begins
in July and coincides with the three-month period of the rainy season, is when most
temporary monks enter the monastery. Nowadays, however, men may spend as
little as a week there.
Historically the temple provided a necessary social safety net for families in need.
The monastery was a de facto orphanage, caring for and educating children whose
parents couldn't provide for them, and a retirement home for older rural men.
Though these charitable roles are not as sought after today, the temples still give
refuge and sanctuary to all living creatures. This might mean that they help feed
families in need, adopt orphaned or injured animals and give shelter to overnight
travellers (usually impoverished Thai university students).
