Sparkling diamond ring draws crowds of devotees to Rayong temple
The chance of winning a diamond ring lured hundreds of merit makers to a temple’s annual alms-giving ceremony on Sunday.
A long queue of devotees was spotted at this year’s kathin fair at Wat Yai Chan in Rayong’s Muang district, as they queued up to purchase raffle tickets. The top prize, after all, was a diamond ring worth 50,000 baht, instead of the usual donated items like electric fans, refrigerators, rice and dried food.
The sparkling ring was donated by Somruethai Khumchart, 59, who owns Ban Suan Somruethai orchard – a well-known tourist destination in the eastern province.
She said she had bought the ring 10 years ago for 40,000 baht and its value has risen to 50,000 since then.
Somruethai said she helps organise the fair for the temple every year, and this year she was worried that not enough raffle tickets would be sold, so she decided to put her ring up as a special reward.
