Everyone who visits Patong will encounter monks at some time or another. It has been a Thai tradition for hundreds of years that every male spends at least a little time as a monk. For some this can be just a few days, for others it is years or even an entire lifetime. Whenever you hear tourists speaking about monks in Thailand, you will often hear some very strange facts being bounced around, many of which are unfounded rumours. Such rumours as criminals can escape justice by becoming a monk. They cannot, but a Buddhist Temple sure makes a good place to lay low for a while. Below are some true facts about monks.

Part of the experience of being a monk is that the person is not allowed to own any possession. They have a single orange robe and possibly a pair of sandals, and that is the sum of their worldly goods. However, in recent years monks have started to carry cell phones or even and iPods and a range of other luxury goods. Older Thai people frown upon this.

Monks take no food after 11am. In the morning, around 6am, monks will walk the street gathering food (alms) from the local community. This will be taken back to the local Wat (temple) to be consumed as the communal morning meal. Once this meal is over at 11pm, then monks are supposed to fast for the rest of the day. Again, this tradition is slowly slipping.

Monks are gaining Buddha points. Buddha points, or more correctly karma, is the accrual of goodwill from Buddha by doing good deeds. No other activity produces more karma than spending time as a monk. Many ex-criminals will become a monk for a period of time after they have served their jail sentence, simply to pay off their debt to Buddha.