Etiquette during Alms-Round

Approximate Duration
06:15 AM – 06:30 AM

Details

1. Monk(s) will offer a short blessing
2. Alms food are to be offered to the monk first in line
3. Then a spoonfuld of rice to be offerd to each monk thereafter

Etiquette during Alms-Round

1. Wear a surgical mask
2. Clean your hands frequently with an alcohol-based hand rub, especially before touching alms food
3. Keep at least one meter from others
4. As monks approach on the alms round, remove your shoes, lower your head, and offer a “Wai” (Thai prayer-like gesture of greeting and respect.) One of the monks will offer a short blessing. the monk will open his alms bowl and you should place your offering inside

Luang Por’s Kuti Etiquette

Say no to plastic!

Bring your own cloth bags to Luang Por’s kuti to receive gifts

COVID-19 Etiquette

1. Please consider postponing your visit to the monastery if you have developed certain symptoms, such as coughing,sneezing, signs of a fever, or if you have any symptoms of infectious illness.
2. Wear a mask
3. Clean hands often with soap and water or with hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. For instance, at the alms round offering, before entering Luang Por’s kuti, when entering and leaving the Main Hall, before lining up to get the food.
4. Keep at least one metre from others
5. Bring and use your own personal dishes and cutlery, e.g., do not share cups/glasses, spoons, dishes/bowls or water bottles
6. Regarding water bottles, after you open a bottle and drink the water directly from it, you should finish the whole bottle and dispose of it properly by discarding it in the designated trash bins for bottles found all over the monastery. If you have not finished a whole bottle, please take it home with you. Do not leave discarded bottles around the monastery.

Kitchen Etiquette

1. There is one meal a day and only vegetarian food (including eggs and dairy prooducts) is provided.

2. After finishing your meal, as an opportunity to practise service to the community, please help with the kitchen clean-up
   – kindly assist residents to wash food-containers and other utensils
   – Sweep and mop the floor in the kitchen

3. Please do not leave water bottles all over the monastery. You may refill the water at ther folling two rainwater refill locations:
   – Junction behind the Main Hall
   – Intersection in the lay kuti area

The Main Hall Etiquette

1. Remove your shoes before walking up the stairs to the Main Hall
2. Hats and headscarves of all kinds should be removed during the ceremonies and during the Main Hall. They are only allowed during the meditation when the weather is cold
3. Bow to the shrine when entering and leaving the Main Hall
4. Observe noble silence and do not make noise when handling chanting books, meditation cushions, and when moving tables and chairs
5. Please turn off mobile phones

Every day there is a daily chanting and meditation held at the Dhamma Hall (Sala) at 3.00 am and 6.00 pm. There is one meal a day and only vegetarian food is provided. It is forbidden to bring spirits, beer, wine, cigarettes, or any kind of addictive drugs to the monastery. Everyone is required to read and consider the code of practice (Korwat) and the regulations of the monastery to understand them before arrival.

There is no public transport to the monastery, therefore it is necessary to arrange private transport by car.

If you would like to come and stay at the monastery, we ask that you make arrangements before your visit. As this is a monastic environment, accommodation for men and women is strictly segregated. Foreigners who would like to come and stay at the monastery for a period of time that exceeds the validity of their visa should extend their visas before coming to the monastery. For those who would like to stay longer than 90 days, they should apply for a Non-ED, Non-R or Non-O visa before arrival to Thailand.

All food, facilities and accommodation at Subthawee Dhammaram Monastery are offered free of charge to visitors. The monastery functions entirely thanks to donations — dana offerings. All cooking and maintenance of the premises are done by volunteers.

1. Clean your bedroom and the area around it: dust, sweep, wipe and mop, so that there is no dust or cobwebs and no unpleasant, musty smell. Do this at least twice a day – in the morning and in the evening. Even when the area appears clean, it is essential to do this as part of the Korwat and our duties (Kiccavatta).

2. Tidy up your bed, the pillow and fold the blanket neatly. Fold cloth and clothes nice and neatly. Arrange and store the things in your room tidily. Clean around your room and around the porch area by dusting, sweeping, wiping and mopping. Store the soft broom for cleaning the kuti properly. Shake the dust off the doormat/foot-rag every day. When it is a little dirty, wash it and dry it in the sun before you use it again.

3. Clean the bathroom and toilet at least twice a day, morning and evening. It is fine to do it more often. The bathroom and toilet have to be clean, without unpleasant smells, just like your bedroom. If the bathroom smells, it shows that our practice is useless, we are selfish, lazy and negligent. If we take care of our bathroom twice a day, it won’t be smelly.

4. To clean the bathroom and toilet please use soap, washing powder and dishwashing liquid. Be careful, if you use strong, undiluted bathroom cleaner (e.g. Vixol, Toilet duck), it will corrode the tiles and lavatory. If you use it, dilute it with the appropriate amount of water. If you spill any undiluted bathroom cleaner, it will corrode the floor-tiles and other surfaces, so be particularly careful with the floor. Don’t use a metal- or wire-brush to clean the floor, since it will scratch the tiles, wash-basin and other surfaces. If you clean twice a day, the lavatory and the floor don’t have a chance to become dirty. Therefore, it is enough to use just a little washing powder and dishwashing liquid to clean them. You shouldn’t throw things into the toilet that may cause it to get blocked, for instance bits of cloth, plastic, or small pieces of rubbish. Should you do this frequently, it will build up. This is what we see regularly, when we go to repair blocked toilets. Also rubbish and dirt is swept into many shower drains, so that they get blocked after a while. Don’t allow even small pieces of rubbish to get into the shower drain while you are taking a shower, because this will eventually cause the drain to get blocked. Take it and throw it away outside, it should not be flushed down the drain.

5. Please remove the rubbish around your dwelling every day. There shouldn’t even be a single piece of rubbish there. When there is no rain, water the trees around your kuti. Most of the trees around the dwellings are banyan trees. Their roots may start growing under the floor of the building. Look out for this and when it happens, get a samanera or layman (monastery boy) to help. Bhikkhus are not allowed to remove them.

6. Don’t keep any food in your room and don’t consume food there. Don’t smoke in your room. The bhikkhus and samaneras are not allowed to take mobile phones into their dwelling or to use internet, Facebook etc. there.

7. Women should not enter the area of the bhikkhus and samaneras or any of their dwellings. If a bhikkhu or samanera is ill and relatives come to visit, they must come as a group. They must not take the liberty of visiting on their own.

8. Bhikkhus and samaneras are not allowed to keep any kind of drinks such as tea, coffee, honey, sugar cane juice, sugar, clarified butter (ghee) or cheese in their dwelling. These should be consumed in the designated public areas, such as behind the Sala at the proper time or at Luang Por’s kuti, so that everyone will get strong in heart and mind and not follow their desires and needs.

9. Everyone should take responsibility for their Korwat and Kiccavatta. When it is time to do something, go and do it with Chanda (satisfaction). You have to take full responsibility so that Sila, Samadhi and Pafifia are constantly present in your mind and you will get to practice continually and happily, around the clock. Practicing does not only mean doing walking – meditation, sitting-meditation and chanting; ultimately everything is practice. In this way, you will gain Right View, Right Understanding and a correct practice and you will reach happiness and the ending of dukkha in every moment until your Indriya and Parami are complete. It is a tradition for those who practice to bow to the Buddha (Phra) whenever they enter or leave their dwelling. Here “Phra” means the Dhamma and the Vinaya that are in everyone’s heart. It doesn’t matter if your dwelling does not have a Buddha-Rupa, because the Lord Buddha, the Dhamma and the Noble Sangha are already in your heart.

May everyone understand it in this way.

Luang Por Ganha Sukhakamo

Wednesday, 4th December 2562

Procedure to Book Your Accommodation and Transport for Foreigners

Wat Pah Subthawee Dhammaram does not request any fee from anyone staying and practicing Dhamma here. Everything provided is free of charge. Everyone must read and fully understand this information. We seek your cooperation to comply with our rules and regulations. You are sincerely welcome at the monastery. If you are unable to follow our rules and regulations, please refrain from applying to stay at our monastery so that the opportunity can be given to others.

• As this is a monastic environment, accommodation for men and women is strictly segregated. Please pack your luggage accordingly.
• If you have any young children and/or elders in your group who need special care, please inform us so that we can arrange suitable accommodation for you.
• Foreigners who would like to come and stay at the monastery for a period that exceeds the validity of their visa should change the type of their visa before coming to the monastery.
• Luang Por Ganha asks anyone who wishes to come and stay: (bhikkhus, bhikkunis, samaneras, samaneris, nuns, laymen, lay women, ordinary people and elders.)
• Please be advised that all food and accommodations at Wat Pah Subthawee are offered free of charge. The rooms, facilities and food are provided by donations. All cooking and facilities and food are provided by donations. All cooking and maintenance are done by volunteers.
• If you would like to come and stay at the monastery, it is required that you make arrangements before your visit. Please use our Google Form to register.

Booking Procedure

Please fill out the Google Form below after your air ticket or hotel booking is confirmed. Google Form A is compulsory for all. Google Form B is an additional form for those who wish to stay for more than 90 days. (B1 is a form for the monastic, and B2 is a form for the layperson)

• A: Application form for arranging kuti and transportation (Accommodation, Vaccination, and Transportation)*

*You also have to submit your COVID-19 certificates and ATK or PCR test 24 hours before your arrival to the monastery. 

• • • Form A (Compulsory): Click Here

• B: For those who wish to stay for more than 90 days, please also fill in either of these forms
  • • Form B1 (For Monastic): Click Here
    • Form B2 (For Layperson): Click Here 

Transportation

There is no public transportation to the monastery; therefore, it is necessary to arrange private transportation by car.

Our monastery does not receive any payments from the transportation arrangements made for guests. All transportation and taxis are independent external third party providers, known to the monastery for providing a reliable service and for charging fair prices. We help guests with travel arrangements purely out of goodwill. You are also free to organize your own transportation.

For us to book your transportation, please indicate your preferred transportation type at least 7 days before your arrival day. If there is any transportation booking amendment, it is subject to availability and must be made at least 3 days prior to your arrival date and time. Please re-confirm with us 3 days before your journey.

Registration with the monastery’s administrative assistants

Present your passport and Visa to the monastery’s administrative assistants (Mae Pom or Gift) to report your stay to Thai immigration within 24 hours after arrival.

If you have any questions or problems please contact administrative assistants (Mae Pom or Gift)

Here is the link to monastery information to give you a better understanding concerning your stay here: https://linktr.ee/monasteryinfo

Rules and Regulations while Staying

1. In the temple there is daily chanting and Dhamma-practice. Luang Por Ganhah developed the guidelines in practicing the dhamma in all activities in our daily life from the moment we rise to when we go to bed. The activities of our daily life have a profound spiritual significance and it is an important part of Buddhist practice to perform all actions with reverence and gratitude. We ask all guests to follow our daily schedule by being punctual and fully participate in all scheduled events and chores. Exceptions can be made to those with poor health and age. Please consult the registration desk about your situation.

2. Stay in the room assigned to you by the registration desk. Please contact the registration desk if you want to change the room or kuti.

3. One meal a day and only vegetarian food (including eggs and dairy products) is provided.

4. It is not allowed to bring alcohol, cigarettes, or any kind of addictive drinks and drugs to the monastery. Smoking is not permitted while you are in residence here.

5. To preserve the serenity of the monastery, please speak quietly, always keep clean, and dress in a simple and modest manner. For both men and women, please bring loose clothing for meditation and ceremonies. Slacks, trousers, and long skirts are acceptable, preferably in black or of dark colors. No shorts and tank tops to be worn.

6. Eating and cooking is not allowed in the kuti (Lodging). 

7. Use the mobile phone and the internet in moderation.

8. Do not keep valuables in your room.

9. Please do not visit kutis or rooms of the opposite gender. Also, women are not allowed to walk in the Sangha area. Lay guests should not visit each other’s room.

10. To conserve energy, turn off water taps, lights, fans, and water heaters after use.

11. Take out the trash from your room to the bin outside the kuti every day throughout your stay, since leaving the trash inside can attract animals such as ants, cockroaches and mice. Please sort out trash and put it in designated bins, e.g. general waste, recycle waste, plastic bottles/glass/cans. Food waste must be disposed of in the blue bin at the kitchen only. Please do not put it in any other bins around the monastery.

Those who come here to ordain have to be wholehearted, because one has to ordain in body and mind, behaviour and attitude. We hold the standard of the Dhamma-Vinaya. We don’t care for your emotions, sentiments and attachments. You have to follow the principles of Dhamma, give importance to it and make it your point of reference. Many people come and ask to stay. Luang Por says,

“You can! It is your progress in the Dhamma-practice (or lack of it) that makes you stay or leave in accordance with the Dhamma-Vinaya of the Lord Buddha.”

1. Clean the room, the bathroom and common area in and around the kuti.

2. Turn off the tap and switch off all lights, fans, water heater (if any). Lock the windows and close the door.

3. Remember to sort out trash properly by disposing of it in the bin in front of the kuti. Please dispose of food waste in the blue bin at the kitchen only. Please do not put it in any other bins around the monastery.

4. Return used blankets, pillow cases and bedsheets to the assigned baskets in the laundry area at the kitchen.

5. For kutis 15, 29 and 30, please put pillows, without used pillow cases, back into the cupboard in front of the room where you stayed.

6. Please remember to check out at the registration counter before leaving the monastery.)

Daily Schedule

At present, there are many people who make merit and practice Dharma. The temple wishes to cooperate with everyone in dressing properly.

Because dressing properly and politely to the temple is an important issue because the temple is a sacred and important place to cultivate the dharma. Therefore, everyone must be cautious of thoughts, speech, action and in always appropriate is help maintain peace, cleanliness and neatness both their own and temple.

If you do not behave properly within the temple area will become a great deterioration both for yourself and others and Buddhism. The temple wishes to have mercy for all Buddhist companies to dress and behave appropriately. In order to honor yourself and honor the place.

Proper manners for dressing up in the temple in order to be merciful to monks and kith and relatives who practice dharma at the temple.
1) Clothing should be a polite dress, covering the knee, except for government uniforms.
2) The fabric should not be thin or to some extent, to see the proportion to be merciful to those who come to practice dharma together.
3) Tailoring should be reasonably loose, don’t wear under shirt or any cloth its can show your neck widely, not tight-fitting, for ease of worshiping the Buddha and meditating. Women should not wear short skirts, open off the back but should bring the knee cover as well to use to cover the knee while squatting or meditating.

Males
Recommended: Loose-fitting, black long pants, white shirt with sleeves.
Do not wear: shorts, sleeveless shirts, tight or revealing clothing.

Females
Recommended: Loose-fitting, black long skirt covering knees, white blouse with sleeves.
Do not wear: shorts, sleeveless shirts, see-through clothes, mini skirts, tight or revealing clothing.

For you who come to practice dharma
1) Women and men, if long hair, request to be tied together to be convenient for conduct and order
2) Perfumes and fragrances should be refrained.
3) Makeup, eyebrows, nail polish, lip, etc. should not be done.
4) expensive jewelry such as diamond rings, gold watches or gold necklaces, etc., should not be worn or brought to the temple

The temple would like to Anumotana with everyone who helped to follow the rules of the Lord Buddha to maintain the good culture and traditions of the Thai people.

______________________________________________

如今，有许多信徒到寺院来修行，做功德，所以寺院希望大家的穿着得体，以示尊重。
寺院是一个神圣且庄严的地方， 所以请注重自己的着装与打扮是否得体。此外，各位信徒须注重言行举止，身口意方面需要保持清净以维护寺院的整洁与安宁。

如果你的行为举止不妥当，将给自己与别人带来不便与困扰，甚至会给佛教带来负面的影响。因此，本寺院希望各位穿着得体庄严，注意言行举止，这是对自己以及寺院的一种尊重方式。
1） 在寺院里，应着装整洁，严谨，裙子或裤子要过膝盖。
2） 不穿那种薄纱或暴露的衣服，这是对到来修行的人和出家众仁慈和尊重。
3） 应穿宽松的衣服，不宜穿过于紧身, 露肩, 无袖, 以方便礼佛以及盘腿打坐。女众不应该穿短裙露背装，下身不宜露膝盖，或以外套遮盖膝盖，以方便跪拜及坐禅。
4） 如果你有长发，请把头发绑起，方便参与礼佛，以保持仪容。
5） 不喷洒香水
6） 不可以化妆，描眉画眼，涂脂抹粉，涂指甲油，或用香脂口红等美容化妆品。
7） 不应佩戴及携带各种昂贵的装饰物，如珠宝，项链，金表，戒指等首饰。

寺院随喜各位信徒遵守寺院的规矩， 还有遵从佛陀制定的戒律， 这样一来就能维护泰国人的良好传统和习俗。

What to bring

1. Sufficient clothes – please be reminded to follow the monastery dress code throughout your stay.
2. Laundry kit – plastic wash basin, soap, detergent, hangers, pegs
3. Sandals/flip-flops
4. Towels

Toiletries
Be sure to bring sufficient toiletries for your stay as there aren’t any available in the monastery.

Travel Adapter (220 watt)
– 2 Pin Adapter as shown
– 3 Pin Adapter as shown

Misc
– Mosquito repellent
– Torch/flashlight
– Water bottles
– Any personal medicines
– Alarm clock
– Stationery
– A bag for keeping valuables
– A cloth-bag for carrying gifts from Luang Por
– Umbrella

Weather Forecast
Cold Season
October to February. Temperature 14 – 25°C. It may be much cooler before dawn, rarely even lower than 10 °C.

Hot season
February to May. Temperature 26 – 32°C. Weather is dry and hot.

 May to October. Temperature 26 – 30°C. Cooler weather and rainfall.

Etiquette for Taking Photos with Monks

To prevent criticism from onlookers, when taking photos with laywomen, a monk must be properly and modestly dressed. For the upper body, the traditional upper robe draped over one shoulder is required. Wearing a rains-bathing cloth or Angsa (or shoulder cloth) is not allowed and is deemed inappropriate.

Monk need a man sitting between him and any woman to prevent gossip or misunderstandings occurring, which might lead to an offense requiring confession.

The Don’ts when taking photos.
– No selfies with monk(s) in the background
– No video recordings
– No LIVE broadcasting
– No photos while Luang Por walks around to give blessings

The above is to prevent criticism from onlookers and to act appropriately at the monastery.