Monks in the morning

Thailand is 95% Buddhist and the philosophy fully permeates all aspects of life and society in the kingdom. While this is apparent from the sheer number of elaborately decorated temples that dot the landscape, one of the most obvious examples of how Buddhism and daily life intertwine is early in the morning when monks walk the streets in their saffron robes collecting their daily alms. Since monks fully depend on support and donations from the community, they only eat what they are given and every morning, usually between 6:00 am and 7:00 am, you’ll notice monks quietly making their way through the streets of Chiang Mai as locals kneel down and place bags of food into the monks’ bowls. There are certain days during the year when thousands of monks will come to the city for locals to make merit en masse, but the tradition is alive and well every morning especially near the city’s local fresh markets. In the Old City, try heading to Sompet Market on Moon Muang Soi 6 or the fresh market at Chiang Mai Gate on Bumrung Buri Road.