Buddhists across the country – and even tourists in hot holiday destinations – turned out yesterday to make merit to mark the Asalaha Bucha Day.

Roads in Pattaya were congested as locals and Thai and foreign tourists visited temples to make merit.

His Majesty the King had Phitsanulok deputy governor Yongyot Mekarun present a Lent candle to revered Buddha image Luang Pho Buddha Chinnaraj – at Wat Prasrirattanamahadhat Vorramahavihan – on his behalf to mark the Buddhist Lent.

To show respect for the Aslaha Bucha Day and the Buddhist Lent Day, entrepreneurs on the Rin Beach of Pha Ngan island in Surat Thani province postponed the festive full moon party from yesterday to tomorrow.

Wat Suan Mokkhabalaram – of the late highly respected monk, Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, in Surat Thani’ s Chaiya district- was overwhelmed by both Thai and foreign tourists heading for the temple to make merit on the sacred day. They also listened to Buddhadasa’s recorded sermons.

In Surin – the province famous for its elephants – locals and tourists offered food to monks from the backs of 83 elephant. About 5,000 Thai and foreign tourists attended, the only merit-making ceremony on elephants’ backs in the world.

After the ceremony, when the elephants were being taken back to their homes, two male elephants from the group, aged 40 and 45, were slightly injured in a road accident. The six-wheel truck carrying them skidded after its driver swerved to evade a pickup truck in its traffic lane. Four mahouts and the truck’s driver were hurt as well.

Roads in Pattaya were congested as locals and Thai and foreign tourists visited temples to make merit.

Security was beefed up in Yala’s Betong district to ensure safety for Buddhists making merit at several temples. Local Buddhists in the province and others who live in Malaysia queued up from early morning to offer food to monks under guard of police and soldiers.

Department of Religious Affairs top officials offered food to monks at Wat Srakesa Rajavaramahavihara in Bangkok, and performed the Wien Thien ceremony, in which participants holding lotuses, joss-sticks and candles walked around the main temple building while praying along with the monks’ sermons.

The department’s director-general Sod Daengied said it would present candles to nine royal temples, including Wat Srakesa, to make merit.

News item courtesy of The Nation at www.nationmultimedia.com