PEEK AT A MONK'S LIFE

In Thailand its  very common to see monks praying , chanting or collecting alms.Almost 95% of the population are Buddhist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Young Thai boys from age 8 -  19 can  enter monkhood as novice monks. They  are called  "samanen" or just "nehn" in Thai . They can be ordain as monk when they reach the age of  20 years old and can be a monk as long  as he wants or as little as one day. Usually its three months but others prefer to remain in  monkhood for life.

 

  I had the privileged to witness novice monk ordination. It was not actually part of our tour.We were just visiting Wat Phra Singh in Chiang Rai to kill time before our flight back to Italy. We saw novice monks at Wat Suan Dorg in Chiang Mai but never expected to actually witness an ordination besides I was not aware that there was such until I asked a monk in Wat Phra Singh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take note though that women are not allowed to touch monks much more to stay in the same room alone with a monk.

KING MENGRAI THE GREAT MONUMENT -CHIANG RAI

 A monument was erected in honor of the King Mangrai also known as  Mengrai founded the city of Chiang Rai  in 1262.

 

 

 

 

It is located on the intersection to Mae Chan. It's hard to miss because it is in the city center.

 

 

MAE SAI - NORTHERN MOST PART OF THAILAND

Mae Sai city in the province of Chiang Rai is the northern most  part of Thailand and the country's border crossing  to Myanmar.

 

The border bridge between Thailand and Myanmar is just short. My companion was telling me about a movie that was  shot here but I don't remember the tittle maybe because I didn't saw it myself..

 

 

This is where the  Asian Highway Network AH2 (Thailand Route 1) ends  then continues on the other side of the Mae Sai river to  the town of Tachileik, Burma. When the road is completed it would become one of the longest highway in the world.

 

A Thai immigration office is set up before the Mae Sai bridge, this caters to pedestrian and vehicles wanting to cross the border. Our guide told us that it is possible to cross the border bridge  without prior visa but its only limited to Tachileik. Passports will be held in the immigration until you return in Thailand. We were not able to cross the border because of time constraints.

 

 

 

There are small shops lined both part of the street leading to the border, they sell locally made items, good for souvenirs.

WAT PHRA KAEO - CHIANG RAI

Wat Phra Kaeo (Kaew)  is  the best known Wats of northern Thailand because it was the original place where the Emerald Buddha (now housed in the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok). Now the temple houses a jade Buddha image which was made to commemorate the 90th birthday of the late Princess' Mother

 

 

 

 Ho Phra Yoke Chiang Rai is a Lanna-style chapel where a  replica of a jade Buddha is on display.

 

 

Huang Luang Saengkaew was built to preserve the heritage of the Wat Phra Kaew and its also a museum

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phra Chedi is a eight-sided  chedi.  According to legend was struck by lightning to reveal the Emerald  Buddha.