web DeskA woman dressed like a nun, with a shaved head, wearing white, and holding an alms bowl, was seen collecting money from business owners in the Ratchaprasong area. The director of the Office of Buddhism explained that only monks affiliated with temples can go on alms rounds. As for nuns, they do not have legal status to be ordained as monks, so they cannot go on alms rounds.
This photo was taken at 4:00 PM on September 9. Two women dressed like nuns are sitting and begging for money from tourists in front of a famous 5-star hotel in the Ratchaprasong area, near the Erawan Shrine. From following the behavior of the two nuns, in the morning they walk to beg for alms from vendors in the Ratchaprasong area. They only accept money and do not want food. After that, they sit at the Erawan Shrine and in front of the famous 5-star hotel in that area, where tourists are walking around all day. The two nuns have continuously received a lot of donations.
Mr. Inthaporn Chan-iam, Director of the National Office of Buddh
ism, explained that the normal practice of collecting alms is for monks, but only monks who are affiliated with a temple can collect alms. The alms-collecting time should not be later than 7:00-7:30 AM because it is considered inappropriate if it is later than that. As for nuns, they do not have the legal status to support them as monks and therefore cannot collect alms. Therefore, if you see any actions that may cause damage to the religious community, you can immediately notify the police, municipal officers, or Department of Provincial Administration officers to investigate. Or you can call the hotline of the National Office of Buddhism at 1374 to file a complaint.
Previously, it was ordered that temples or monks and novices were prohibited from soliciting or assigning or allowing others to solicit for the benefit of the temple or religion or for any other benefit of themselves or others, except in cases specified in this Sangha Supreme Council order.
In the case of making merit in the temple, which is a
n annual or special event, if there is a fundraising, fundraising advertisement, and receiving money or property from fundraising, it must be done only within the area. It is prohibited to do so outside the temple area. And if there is a necessity to collect funds outside the temple area to construct or renovate a permanent object, that permanent object must have been constructed or renovated for no less than half of the total construction or renovation work. And the abbot must report the request for approval to collect funds, submit it to the superior in order until the regional abbot. When the regional abbot approves, it must be submitted to the subcommittee controlling fundraising of the Sangha for consideration to show the construction or renovation list, the amount of money or property to be collected, the time of fundraising, and the message to be advertised for fundraising. Then it can be done. If it is different from this, it cannot be done.
Source: Thai News Agency
