Monk Stall in Mall

[ahpuiahsan]

In between buying handbags or browsing the jewellery counters, shoppers in Thailand will soon also be able to get their daily dose of dharma under a plan to install monks in major department stores.

Under the "meet the monk in a quiet corner" project, the Ministry of Culture plans to rent out space in stores throughout the country where shoppers can have a quiet chat with the clergy in a bid to bring people closer to religion, officials said.

"People nowadays have no time to go to temples, only shopping malls. They can get closer to the religion if we provide the opportunity," the Culture Minister, Uraiwan Thienthong, was quoted as saying by the local media.

Shoppers will be encouraged to participate in religious activities, and films or religious-themed comics will be available to attract younger participants.

"We could campaign for religion in places where ... teenagers gather," said the Minister for Social Development, Wattana Muangsuk, on Saturday.

Outspoken monk Phra Phayom Kalayano of Nonthaburi's Wat Suan Kaew, on the outskirts of Bangkok, seconded the plan, saying he would encourage monks to go every day to attend to the masses at the malls.

Hm...now they are bringing Monks to the shopping Mall.

If ppl are faithful to their religion, they should make time to go Temple....

[Narmada]

My opinion is divided on this one.

On one hand, Thai society has become way too materialistic and greedy for its own good and some counter-balance is sorely needed; but I'm not sure if Thai monks are really qualified to provide that counter-balance - most monks that I've met were not very intelligent and appeared quite materialistic themselves.

On top, I suspect that most young shoppers to consult a monk in a mall would only have their horoscopes read and would ask if their current b/g or g/f were faithful to them, or other such crap.

All considered, I assume that the idea will go down like a lead zeppelin, or swim like a dead, spit-roasted duck - like most ideas thought up by the geniuses in the current Thai government.

[Narmada]

Just to add to my former post:

I think that any country which has/needs a Culture Ministry is in deep, deep trouble. :roll: Not because its culture is under assault, but because some people seem to be ridiculously paranoid.

Instead of embarking on cultural crusades, Khun Uraiwan should be sitting at home thinking up new repices for Tom Yang Goong, or be busy with other equally rewarding pastimes.