Hundreds of monks in boats receive alms in historic Mon tradition

A large number of Buddhists brought rice, dried food and flowers on Sunday to make merit by offering alms to 120 monks.

It was part of the “Alms Offering to 100 Monks in Boats” tradition at Wat Sutthaphot (Mon Temple) in the Lat Krabang district of Bangkok.

The ceremony was presided over by Deputy Interior Minister Teerarat Samrejvanich along with Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt. 

Both were dressed in traditional Mon attire. They waved to the public on both sides of the canal from a boat after officially opening the event.

The alms-giving ritual at Wat Sutthaphot (Mon Temple) is a beautiful tradition that has been passed down through generations. 

This alms-giving ceremony on water is held at the end of the Buddhist Lent to preserve and continue the traditions of the Mon-descendant Thai community, which they continue to practice every year after the end of Buddhist Lent.

The tradition is held on the first Sunday after the end of Buddhist Lent. Buddhist devotees gather along both sides of the Lam Platiew Canal in front of Wat Sutthaphot to offer rice and dried food to monks along more than 3 kilometres. 

Hundreds of monks receive the offerings by boat. They use more than 60 boats carefully preserved and maintained by the temple. Each boat is made from a single piece of Hopea odorata wood with no seams.

Additionally, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has registered this tradition as an "Intangible Cultural Heritage". It is the only tradition of its kind in Bangkok and also serves to promote tourism in Lat Krabang district.