Making Merit

Merit making is an important concept within the Buddhist religion. It revolves around three components-the receiver,the alms and the donor. While visiting the Kwan Riam Floating Market in Min Buri (about 45 min. outside Bangkok) I discovered a unique way in which the local Thai people make merit by giving alms to the local monks. The locals line up on the edge of the klong (canal) and wait for the monks to pass by in long wooden boats. As the monks slowly drifted along each of the locals would take turns giving little bags filled with anything from food and bottles of water to Mentos gum-apparenty giving the “donor” fresh breath for this life and the life continued.