What's Going On - Traffic Chaos

[Big Boy]

Driving to the lake this morning we saw hundreds of people lining the roads with bottles of water, and a huge traffic tailback. I thought, HaHa, whatever is happening will be over by the time I drive home.

Wrong!!! I became part of the traffic chaos. When we got to whatever was happening, all we saw was a couple of monks strolling along the motorway, and dozens of people filling pick-up trucks with bottles of water (you'll see one of the trucks just before we get to Bluport). The bottles of water lined the streets until I turned up Soi 94.

There were plenty of BIB stood watching, so I guess it was official. It cost me 20 minutes of my life queuing - does anybody have a clue what was happening?

[Geko]

เช้านี้ (9 ธ.ค.) “หลวงตาบุญชื่น ปัญญาวุฑโท” พระธุดงค์สายป่า วัย 72 ปี อดีตทหารผ่านศึกชาว จ.นครพนม เดินธุดงค์เท้าเปล่าออกจากวัดเขาดิน อ.ปราณบุรี ด้วยท่าทางสดชื่น เข้าเมืองหัวหิน โดยมี อส.หัวหิน กู้ภัยสว่างหัวหิน คอยดูแลเส้นทาง
**ขณะนี้ท่านเดินถึง อุทยานราชภักดิ์ แล้วและคาดว่าไม่เกิน 10.00 น. จะผ่านสวนน้ำวานา ห้างบลูพอร์ต ห้างหัวหินมาร์เก็ต ตลาดฉัตร์ไชย วังไกลกังวล โรงพยาบาลหัวหิน สนามบินบ่อฝ้าย ตามลำดับ เตรียมรอทำบุญถวายน้ำท่านได้เลยครับ (09.20 น. 9 ธ.ค.64)
This morning (9 Dec. kh. ) ′′ Luang Ta Bunshanpanya Wutto ′′ Phra Thudong, 72 years old, former veteran of the province. Nakhon Phanom. Walking barefoot from Khao Din temple, district. Pranburi with a fresh look. Entering Hua Hin with Mos. Hua Hin. Bright rescue. Hua Hin takes care of the route
** He is now walking to Rajabhat Park and is expected no later than 10.00 p.m. Going through the water park, Wana, Blue Port, Hua Hin, market, Chatchai Wang far market, Hua Hin hospital, airport, Bo Fai in order. Prepare to make merit to offer water to you. (09.20 hrs.) 9 Dec. July 64)

[Big Boy]

Thank you very much Geko. Do you have any idea what the truckloads of water were for? I know it says, "Prepare to make merit to offer water to you," but what is it for?

[nil]

People asked him what they could give him and he said just water. He’s got an oceans worth of it now.

[Scout]

Thank you very much Geko. Do you have any idea what the truckloads of water were for? I know it says, "Prepare to make merit to offer water to you," but what is it for?

The water is offered to the Monk as a way to make merit. Water remaining after the Monk passes will become donations to various wat’s, schools and organizations.

[buksida]

And a few million plastic bottles that will no doubt end up in the ocean.

[Big Boy]

I got got caught up in it all again - just nipped down to Market Village . I reckon his stroll into town has caused a lot of traffic pollution. I hope it has been worth it.

[huahin4ever]

I was caught up in this when he passed Prachuap City!

YNWA

[Big Boy]

Oh wow! So is it a marathon walk? Where did he start/where is he going to?

[bigston]

My Plant Lady on the Main Rd seemed to indicate the start was Phuket
the end is Nakon Ratchasima
just what she said...

[Big Boy]

Full credit to the guy, that's one hell of a walk. My son was driven from Hua Hin to Nakhon Ratchasima last Sunday, and that took 9 hours. At the speed he's moved today, it will take the guy months. An awful lot of traffic disruption on the way, but this is Thailand and the Thais weren't grumpy gits like me stuck in traffic. They loved it.

It was obviously something special to the Thai nation. I guess in my own little way, I was part of it . It was just baffling (still is) where all of that water was going.

[Big Boy]

Hmmmm....... even more respect - I've just read this:

Ta Bunchaun Panya Wutto Phra Sai Pa. Age 72 years old. Walked with barefoot from the province. Phuket to go to the province. Nakhon Phanom which is your hometown. Total distance of 1,500 kilometers.

[Ratsima]

My son was driven from Hua Hin to Nakhon Ratchasima last Sunday, and that took 9 hours.

Off topic, but that sounds really long. We do it every month and it rarely takes longer than six hours including stops for lunch, coffee, fuel and toilet. And we're in an eight-year-old Toyota Vios. I should note that my wife drives as if she were on Team McLAREN.

[Big Boy]

Yes, it was after a bank holiday, and traffic in Hua Hin, at least, was manic. I took me over 30 minutes to get from Sois 94 to 68. Most of Hua Hin's traffic seemed to be going North.

I believe they also made quite a few pit stops.

Interestingly, I put the question into Google Maps (6 hours 8 minutes), but I was offered a ferry from Hua Hin to the Samut Prakan area.



Whatever, it's still a long way to walk barefooted

[Dannie Boy]

The walk today is proceeding between HH towards Cha Am - as we travelled into HH there were literally many hundreds of people lining the road waiting with bottles of water to meet him and make merit. As we passed he was very close to the big temple between HH and CA.