Superstition Central

Wat Sothorn is a large but somewhat unimpressive temple. The outside lacks decoration, although maybe I caught it on a bad day because it was pissing it down when I took this:

Inside, the drabness continues. It’s like the reception area of a boring hotel, with a few statues thrown in to ensure temple status.

So why was there a constant stream of cars battling for spaces in the car park on a normal weekday morning? Some special Buddhist event I assumed. But she who must be obeyed assured me that this was normal; because Wat Sothorn is superstition central; although that is not how she described it.

Next to the main temple is a large shed; of the type that often contains a market. This one was a market for wishes and rewards. There were places to make your wishes, and places to give thanks when your wishes came true; but it wasn’t clear to me which was which, so I couldn’t tell if those involved were pre or post wish fulfilment. Most common of all were places which would take your money in exchange for flowers, candles, Buddha statues and assorted tat. I never saw a monk. This was commercialised superstition on a grand scale and I found it rather depressing. Not so she who must be obeyed who disappeared into the scrum of hopefuls, leaving me to take a few shots in the semi-darkness (it was now raining even more heavily outside).

Near the entrance there was a dispirited group of Thai dancers.

They were probably dispirited because they spent the day repeating the same dance over and over and over again. You handed over some cash to a handler, and the girls would dance. Not sure if this was done to wish for luck or to give thanks because luck had arrived in some form; but it was sad to watch.

The girls were only mildly happy when they took a break:

Moving into the depths of the building, there was an almighty scrum of people not doing what Thai people are not famous for (queuing), with the objective of getting close enough to candles.

In the back room, gold leaf (purchased of course from one of the vendors outside) was being affixed to Buddhas. I suspect that much of it is peeled off at night, melted down and resold.

Dozens of dancers, hundreds of candles, ounces of gold leaf; all of these are as nothing compared to the eggs.

There are eggs everywhere. On shelves, on the floor, being carried by people and, in one unfortunate incident (unfortunate because I didn’t snap it), dropped by people. According to my cultural guide, if your wish comes true, you bring eggs to the temple. You offer them to the Buddha who apparently doesn’t want them, because you then take them home and eat eggs for weeks. I am sure she made some wishes while she was trotting round the various attractions, so there is a chance we will be back again at some point bearing eggs. If so, you’ll all be invited round for a monster omelette afterwards.

And so you know where not to go:

Comments 🔗

2011-07-04 | Wally says

Love the pic of the lady in the green shirt, third from bottom, she is either having a good ferret around up her right nostril with her pinky, or ‘manually’ changing her mind what to wish for. Either way I wish her luck.

2011-07-04 | Pete says

And, of course you took all these pictures with your new gps enabled i-thingummy so we know where to avoid. Hmm?

2011-07-05 | Barry says

Interesting report, and rather sad. My wife tells me the place - which she informs me is Wat Sothornwararamworaviharn - pulls in 100,000 baht a day. There are donation boxes provided by different banks and the place makes so much money the banks come to the temple to collect the daily takings rather than the temple having to carry the money to the bank. She says the monks had a fight there a couple of years ago over all the money being made. Buddhism works differently in Thailand, doesn’t it. Just a business, like anything else. It certainly isn’t a religion.

2011-07-05 | MSB says

Yeah its a well known Wat this one… I have been dragged around it a few times. There is a good Thai restaurant next door, overlooking the river and next to the market.

Opposite is where I used to keep my jetski.

2011-07-05 | Sid Johnstone says

Been there a few times - never seen so many eggs in one place!!!! LOL.

2011-07-07 | Spike says

Yes I did. Will stick an update onto the post in due course.

2011-07-08 | Spike says

Done.

2011-07-08 | Pete says

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