After the age of 18, and usually before 23, every Thai boy who is Buddhist (which is 99% of Thais) will become a monk for a short while. The usual time is 3 months, but some only enter for 1 month. A few will continue their service at the temple for years.
When I attended the ceremony of my good friend Wirat (nickname: Yo), I had to arrive before dawn at about 5 am. The ceremony starts when the sun rises. The night before, he had his head shaved in another ceremony, and was anointed with oils. He wears a white robe in the morning.
We follow in a procession throughout the community for several hours, until we arrive at the home temple - Wat Nok in this case. The candidate throws coins for children to catch (which they keep for good luck). The rest of the ceremony happens inside the temple. Take a peak at the short video I made, below.
After the closed session ends (several hours), there is a big feast for everyone in the community. I sat with a group of Thais who were shy to talk to me, but the smiles were very genuine. At the end, Yo emerges as a monk, and he now has his orange robe on. Although there is a feast, he does not eat. He begins a fast. That night he sleeps in the temple (Wat Nok), and the next day he starts cleaning the temple at dawn, then studies, and more work. He sleeps on a towel in a small room, meditates, and has no access to phone or TV or any modern conveniences.
Wat Nok is in Thonburi, across the river from Bangkok's center. Thonburi is where about 800 temples are nestled. It's a beautiful area.
Thai's a quick summary of the monk ceremony in Thailand. It was a unique experience.
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