# Buddhist Temples in Thailand



## Ameriscot (Oct 28, 2016)

On Koh Samui (where we spend winters).  When visiting a temple shoes must be left at the door, shoulders and knees should be covered.  I carry a shawl to cover my shoulders, and wear capris when I know we are going to be stopping by a temple. 


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## Ameriscot (Oct 28, 2016)

Pagodas are places of burial.  Many claim to have the bones of the Buddha.


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## Ameriscot (Oct 28, 2016)

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## Ameriscot (Oct 28, 2016)

Bumping.  Bluebreezes is interested in the temples.


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## bluebreezes (Oct 28, 2016)

Oh Annie, you're so wonderful to have bumped this. Thank you so much! I'm amazed how ornate these temples are. I see in the first photo there's a Monks Only sign. Is it for that section of the temple or are there whole temples designated for monks only?


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## Ameriscot (Oct 28, 2016)

bluebreezes said:


> Oh Annie, you're so wonderful to have bumped this. Thank you so much! I'm amazed how ornate these temples are. I see in the first photo there's a Monks Only sign. Is it for that section of the temple or are there whole temples designated for monks only?



Only monks can kneel in that particular area, but the public can kneel in other areas.  There are probably some temples that are monks only, and the temple closest to us is frequently active with monks and gatherings for members of that temple.  We can't go in at that time.  There is a huge hall there where they do 'services' or have talks.  But none are in English as far as I've been able to find out.  

There are a couple of temples that are far off the main road so doesn't get many tourists, so we often have these temples to ourselves.  

It baffled me that there are huge statues of Chinese or other gods/godesses since Buddhists don't have a diety.  But I figure it's something like the catholic Irish who still do some 'traditional' practices which are pagan, but you'd never get them to admit they are pagan practices.  

I join a gym at a resort that is not far from our house.  One morning about 6:45 I was riding my bike down the main road to it and all traffic and pedestrians were stopped by the police as a long motorcade carrying lots of monks in their robes turned off a side road onto the main road.  I couldn't go until they had passed.


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## bluebreezes (Oct 28, 2016)

Other than people speaking, are the temples quiet, or is there music playing or other sounds (such as gongs)? Is incense burned in the temples?


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## Ameriscot (Oct 28, 2016)

bluebreezes said:


> Other than people speaking, are the temples quiet, or is there music playing or other sounds (such as gongs)? Is incense burned in the temples?



In the temples I've visited there hasn't been music and don't remember any incense.  I've heard gongs though.  Temples are usually quiet as people seem to know to whisper, but some tourists pay no attention and are too loud.  Most take off their shoes but some don't seem to know they should cover up out of respect.

The Big Buddha area is always mobbed with tourists.  I prefer the quiet ones where we are usually the only ones there.


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## fureverywhere (Oct 28, 2016)

Thank you so much for sharing. Those pictures are breath taking. It is interesting, I never contemplated the Buddha question though...gofigya. Two amusing things my son told me about the temples. The first time he went to Thailand he had a lot to learn. He sat near the base of a Buddha and next to him was a drink can with a straw...some fruit peel. He thought that wasn't a kind place to litter. But when he picked it up to throw away a guard approached gesturing. Oooops not garbage...offerings.

He also had pictures of temples with winding stone steps built high up the mountainside. The only hand hold looks to be a length of clothesline. They do lose people on those steps quite often from what they say


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## Ameriscot (Oct 28, 2016)

fureverywhere said:


> Thank you so much for sharing. Those pictures are breath taking. It is interesting, I never contemplated the Buddha question though...gofigya. Two amusing things my son told me about the temples. The first time he went to Thailand he had a lot to learn. He sat near the base of a Buddha and next to him was a drink can with a straw...some fruit peel. He thought that wasn't a kind place to litter. But when he picked it up to throw away a guard approached gesturing. Oooops not garbage...offerings.
> 
> He also had pictures of temples with winding stone steps built high up the mountainside. The only hand hold looks to be a length of clothesline. They do lose people on those steps quite often from what they say



Yes, they do food offerings all the time, everywhere.  I've climbed a lot of steps to get up to temples, none were hazardous though.


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## bluebreezes (Oct 28, 2016)

Ameriscot said:


> I've climbed a lot of steps to get up to temples...



So a spiritual workout, you might say?


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## Ameriscot (Oct 28, 2016)

bluebreezes said:


> So a spiritual workout, you might say?



Aye, sort of.


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## Ameriscot (Oct 28, 2016)

The 'fat Buddha' is often thought to be the Buddha, but is not.  The happy, laughing or fat Buddha was a Chinese monk named Hotei. 

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## Don M. (Oct 28, 2016)

When I was there in 1967, a couple of my favorite "temples" were the "Reclining Buddha", and the "Emerald Buddha.  Bangkok was a fascinating place, and I also took a couple of trips to Sattahip...which was really nice.


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## Ameriscot (Oct 28, 2016)

Don M. said:


> When I was there in 1967, a couple of my favorite "temples" were the "Reclining Buddha", and the "Emerald Buddha.  Bangkok was a fascinating place, and I also took a couple of trips to Sattahip...which was really nice.



On our trip two winters ago I wanted to see Bangkok for a few days before going to the island.  Heard that temples were amazing.  We did see the Emerald Buddha at the palace, but that was it.  There seemed to be tens of thousands of people there all wanting to see the same thing.  The temp was close to 100F so after we left the palace, we got a taxi and zipped right back to the train station.


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## Don M. (Oct 28, 2016)

Ameriscot said:


> On our trip two winters ago I wanted to see Bangkok for a few days before going to the island.  Heard that temples were amazing.  We did see the Emerald Buddha at the palace, but that was it.  There seemed to be tens of thousands of people there all wanting to see the same thing.  The temp was close to 100F so after we left the palace, we got a taxi and zipped right back to the train station.



Yes, the temples in Bangkok were always quite crowded...even 50 years ago.  I made several trips to that city and usually only visited a couple of such sites each time.  When traveling to Thailand, heat is always a factor...they have two seasons...Hot and Wet, and Hot and Dry.


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## Ameriscot (Oct 28, 2016)

Don M. said:


> Yes, the temples in Bangkok were always quite crowded...even 50 years ago.  I made several trips to that city and usually only visited a couple of such sites each time.  When traveling to Thailand, heat is always a factor...they have two seasons...Hot and Wet, and Hot and Dry.



On the island we go to we do get some sea breezes.  It is normally about 30C/86F every day and when we arrive in Dec it's the end of the rainy season but can rain on and off throughout the 3 months we are there.  We tend to hide from the midday sun and take frequent dips in the pool or the sea.  And AC in the house.  And cold beer.


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## Don M. (Oct 28, 2016)

Ameriscot said:


> On the island we go to we do get some sea breezes.  It is normally about 30C/86F every day and when we arrive in Dec it's the end of the rainy season but can rain on and off throughout the 3 months we are there.  We tend to hide from the midday sun and take frequent dips in the pool or the sea.  And AC in the house.  And cold beer.



I suppose if you stay along the shoreline, the heat is not that bad.  However, inland it can become almost dangerous.  There were times on the Airbase that it got so hot that they would have to run an airplane into a open hangar, and hose it down with water to keep the techs from burning their hands trying to work on it.  We had one airman die from heatstroke when he closed the canopy, and 1/2 hour later someone noticed his slumped body.  During the "monsoon" season we quickly understood why the barracks were all built on stilts about 4 feet above ground...there were times when we almost had to "wade" to work.  And then....there were the ever present Cobra's and Krates...some of the most venomous snakes in the world....we had several guys bit while I was over there...the Krates were almost always lethal.  Going to Bangkok was a welcome break.


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## Bobw235 (Oct 28, 2016)

Love the pictures! Some remarkable images. What a wonderful place to visit. You got some great shots.


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## Ameriscot (Oct 28, 2016)

Don M. said:


> I suppose if you stay along the shoreline, the heat is not that bad.  However, inland it can become almost dangerous.  There were times on the Airbase that it got so hot that they would have to run an airplane into a open hangar, and hose it down with water to keep the techs from burning their hands trying to work on it.  We had one airman die from heatstroke when he closed the canopy, and 1/2 hour later someone noticed his slumped body.  During the "monsoon" season we quickly understood why the barracks were all built on stilts about 4 feet above ground...there were times when we almost had to "wade" to work.  And then....there were the ever present Cobra's and Krates...some of the most venomous snakes in the world....we had several guys bit while I was over there...the Krates were almost always lethal.  Going to Bangkok was a welcome break.



Yikes.  We see small dead snakes on the side of the road and have seen a few small live ones. Our house is on shorter stilts.  We have two verandas and they are high up from the ground. 

The house we rent is a 5 minute walk to the beach.  We are rarely far from a beach wherever we go.  All the restaurants we go to are open air on or near the beach.


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## Ameriscot (Oct 28, 2016)

Bobw235 said:


> Love the pictures! Some remarkable images. What a wonderful place to visit. You got some great shots.



Thanks, Bob.  I picked some from our 3 trips there.


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