The current Buddhist holiday has led to an uptick in sales at shops selling offerings for Buddhist monks, albeit not on par with the pre-pandemic levels. Shop owners said the economic slump has driven down spending, despite the long holiday.
Shops selling Sangkaphan, or items offered to Buddhist monks, have been making more sales recently thanks to Asanha Bucha Day and Buddhist Lent (Aug 1-2).
The most popular items sold at shops in front of Wat Soi Thong in Bangkok include candles, light bulbs, daily essentials, and bathing robes. Prices of these items range from 99 baht to thousands.
Many shop owners said spending by their customers this year was not as robust as in other years. Some shops have implemented techniques to attract customers, by selling sets of offerings that have meanings behind them, including items that are believed to bring good fortune. People visiting Wat Soi Thong are mostly people of Myanmar and Mon descent. (NNT)
