A scene from last year’s event.
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Two thousand monks will gather in front of Pattaya
City Hall Nov. 27 to receive offerings on behalf of their counterparts
in Thailand’s strife-ridden south.
The three-hour merit-making ceremony kicks off at 6
a.m. with locals bringing rice and dried goods to support a national
drive by a million monks to support 226 Buddhist temples in four
Muslim-dominated southern provinces.
The Banglamung Morals and Environmental Revival Club
is organizing the government-sponsored event, the third since 2008 aimed
at reviving and supporting religion. It’s intended as a family activity
meant to reinforce traditional values, as well as support the southern
monks, who are often the targets of violence by Muslim separatists.
Jirawat Sukhonsap, head of Pattaya Municipality
Police, announced that the city will close the south side of North
Pattaya Road from the Petchtrakul intersection (opposite the Thai Garden
Resort) to the Dolphin Circle on November 26 from 11 a.m. and the north
side of North Pattaya Road (on the Fairtex Hotel side) will be closed
from 5 p.m. to set up the stage for the event.
The whole of North Pattaya Road will be closed on the
morning of November 27 from Pattaya City Hall to the Dolphin roundabout
from 4 a.m. until 10 a.m. until the end of the religious ceremonies.
Parking will be provided at the Tesco-Lotus shopping
mall. About 20,000 people are expected to attend.
