Matthew 21:12-13

[Big Boy]

I've just come back from visiting a temple with Mrs BB where we were charged 5 Baht each when we removed our shoes

That's one temple that won't be seeing me again.

[buksida]

Elaborate please ...

[Big Boy]

'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER'; but you are making it a ROBBERS' DEN."

I won't name the temple, but I was disgusted. They were selling blades of grass to feed the cows, had birds that you pay to release etc. etc. I've seen it all before, but never so blatant and in your face. I don't object to my wife making donations to Buddha, and I'm always the first remove my shoes out of respect, but this took the biscuit.

[richard]

'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER'; but you are making it a ROBBERS' DEN."

I won't name the temple, but I was disgusted. They were selling blades of grass to feed the cows, had birds that you pay to release etc. etc. I've seen it all before, but never so blatant and in your face. I don't object to my wife making donations to Buddha, and I'm always the first remove my shoes out of respect, but this took the biscuit.

Obviously a tourist haven. Thais latch on to a quick buck when a tourist is in sight

[Big Boy]

No, while I was there, I only saw 2 other Farangs. 5 bus loads of Thais arrived immediately ahead of us.

I generally encourage my wife to do her thing with Buddha, and this always seems to incur cost - I don't participate, but I think its important that she supports her own beliefs.

Rather than charge 5 Baht to remove your shoes (which everybody has to do), why not put an admission booth at the entrance?

[ste860]

go give us a clue .ive never heard of any temple doing such a thing

[Bamboo Grove]

With 5 buses full of Thais visiting, I can only think of one temple in the vicinity of Hua Hin.

[Terry]

Let me guess - Is the place full of ATMs and does it have it's own floating market?

[HHADFan]

I think I may have visited there once, maybe in 2008. It was more like a market than a temple.

[Big Boy]

No, it was not Wat Huey Monkol (sp) - even they don't charge you for taking shoes off.

[HHADFan]

Let me guess - Is the place full of ATMs and does it have it's own floating market?

Hmmm.... Maybe you could sell 'catch and release' as a way to make merit.

[richard]

No, while I was there, I only saw 2 other Farangs. 5 bus loads of Thais arrived immediately ahead of us.

Bus loads........well not farangs but certainly tourists whether Thai, Chinese or Korean all willing to pay a few baht for a so called special outing

[Big Boy]

Definitely Thai - elongated versions of the Hua Hin/Pranburi buses.

[HHADFan]

No, it was not Wat Huey Monkol (sp) - even they don't charge you for taking shoes off.

That is where I was thinking of.

I'm usually happy enough to participate in the missus's rituals for birthdays, showing respect to the spirits on our land, etc. It keeps her happy and doesn't hurt me. But I won't go to places like that.

[Stargeezer]

Big Boy,
Thanks for the information.
I have been on a Temple tour from Bangkok to the Pran Buri, Hua Hin, Petcha Buri, areas
and thankfully I didn't have to pay. Maybe it was because I was with my Thai relatives, but hopefully I can meet you during my Hua Hin visit so I don't go to that temple you went to. I won't even offer to buy you a beer, hopefully you do drink something even coffee or such.
Now a days I do not go with my wife and the relatives to temples anymore, they understand
that I am not a Buddhist and are finally respecting that fact. Only took me 14 years to convince them that I would rather spend my time in other places.
Stargeezer