WHAT'S ON THAILAND

I used to enjoy visting Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep (วัดพระธาตุดอยสุเทพ) in Chiang Mai. To me, it was a spiritual journey to drive up the mountain and walk up the long steps to the temple, keeping in mind the words and teachings of the Buddha. Years ago, I used to spend hours at Wat Doi Suthep, sometime practicing walking and sitting meditation.

Last weekend we visited Wat Doi Suthep and were very disappointed. This famous temple is now a tourist trap where sellers prey on visitors at every step, overcharging (double price) for plastic flowers and incense offerings at the base of the steps. The same plastic flowers sets are 10 baht per set in the temple, and 20 baht per set by hawkers at the bottom.

Now, when you enter the temple, "tour guides" aggressively molest you to let them take you around the main temple, providing mostly false explainations of Buddhist thought, mixing Thai spirit worship with the teachings of Buddha, turning a great temple into an carnival-like rip-off atmosphere. The same quides are looking to sell photos and get tips.

In short, a great temple has now been turned into a carnival-like tourist trap. It is so sad to see such a beautiful and historic place become another example of how money reins supreme over spiritual values, in Thailand, and elsewhere.

I never expected Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep to be a tourist trap, but it is now!