The owner of beer-bar in Pattaya notified the police to inspect four Cambodian Buddhist monks who were asking for money from tourists at three AM near beer-bar in Pattaya Soi 1, second Pattaya road.
Pattaya (November 7, 2011)[PDN] The owner of a beer-bar in Pattaya Soi 1, Second Pattaya Road, Amphur Banglamung, Chonburi province notified Pattaya police to inspect four suspicious Buddhist monks who behaved inappropriately carrying their alms bowls and asking for money from tourist and locals. The beer-bar owner invited the monks to meet the police to have their certificates examined.
The police found that the four monks were bona fide Cambodian Buddhist monks carrying valid permits. Each monk spoke Thai. They explained that they had travelled from Cambodia and were staying, resting at Jittapawan Buddhist temple in Banglamung.
The owner of the beer-bar said that he saw the group of monks, more than ten monks carrying their alms bowl at 03.00-04.00 hrs every night.
The beer-bar owner said the monks received only cash not food which is inappropriate according to the Buddhist religion. Offering food is one of the oldest and most common rituals of Buddhism. Food is given to monks during their alms rounds. Offering food is a meritorious act that also reminds us not to be greedy or selfish. The alms are offered early in the morning – not in the night.
In this case people thought these monks were monks trying to gain revenue, money and so destroying the good image of Buddhism.
The police invited the four monks to Pattaya police station for temporary, ‘detainment’ in order to wait for the sunrise and allow them carry their alms bowls accordingly.
The monks were carefully instructed that monks make their alms rounds only in the morning and not at night. And receiving money in the alms bowl is strictly prohibited according to the Buddhist religion.
The Khmer monks agreed to co-operate with the police.
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