Monks march through city to welcome gold statue of Buddha

The Phra Mongkol Thepmuni statue, made of real gold, will be enshrined at the Pak Nam Pasi Charoen temple in Bangkok’s Phasi Charoen district
The third day of the march yesterday started at 8am from Sarawittaya School in Chatuchak district and went through Kaset intersection, Central Lat Phrao Mall, Saphan Kwai, Victory Monument, Phaya Thai, Sri Ayutthaya, Rajaprarop, Rajdamri, Central World, Rama I, Siam Paragon and ended at the National Stadium at 3pm. However, the procession involving some 1,500 monks brought the traffic in the areas to a standstill.
The monks, led by a truck holding the gold statue, walked down a red carpet that was strewn with rose petals by devotees clad in white.
Senator Trungjai Buranasompob, chairperson of the Senate Committee for religion, art and culture, said the march was inappropriate because a Buddhist pilgrimage required monks go to the mountains or forests and lead the life of an ascetic – not march through a city of consumerist desires.
She said she would ask the Office of National Buddhism and the Sangha Supreme Council of Thailand to investigate this.
Meanwhile, Phra Sanidwong from Wat Dhammakaya’s Public Relations Department defended the march on the temple’s website, saying that this so-called pilgrimage through the city did not go against the principles of religion.
This morning, the march will begin at the National Stadium and head for Rama I Road, Banthat Thong Road, Rama IV Road, Thai-Chinese Friendship Road, Wat Traimitr, Yaowarat Road, Jakkapat Road, Mahachai Road, Charoenkrung Road, Tri Phetch Road and Suan Kularb School. Tomorrow, the march will continue from the school to Prachathipok Road, Wong Wian Yai, Talad Plu and the Pak Nam Pasi Charoen temple. Motorists are advised to avoid these areas.