MORE MERIT MAKING ...

On or around 16th July every year, The Imperial Queens Park hotel hosts a merit-making ceremony. Offerings - in the form of an assortment of food and sweets, together with useful items like candles and incense sticks - are presented to nine monks during a special ceremony. There are nine monks because nine is considered a lucky number in Thailand. They monks give their blessing and the head monk splashes holy water over the gathering. At the same time more offerings are made at the spirit house, a small but elaborate minature building at the rear of the hotel.
Although it meant a very early (5am) start it was well worth being there to witness this event. I am becoming more integrated into Thai society and events like this really help me to understand more about the culture and Thai ways of life. I also collected my first amulets from the head monk - small stone or plaster objects with images that mean different things. They are carried by most Thai people as good luck symbols. I now have more than 10 !