I ventured out early in the morning, hoping to capture some good photos of the monks on their almsgiving round (Bindabat) in Pattaya. What I had in mind was either a striking juxtaposition like monks on Walking Street or the classic image of monks walking in line while merit‑makers kneel to place offerings (Tak Bat) into their alms bowls, much like the photo below, which I took in Savannakhet, Laos, while on a visa run from Pattaya.
I already have many photos of monks, including some pretty cool ones from a mass gathering of monks in Pattaya. However, the juxtaposition, or that classic image, would have been a perfect addition to my article on seeing Thai culture in Pattaya.
Alas, rather than the photos of monks that I was hoping for, I returned with one of a single monk, see below, after politely asking if I could take his photo.
While we are on the subject of monks collecting alms in Pattaya, it’s customary to offer foodstuffs such as rice, noodles, fruit, or tinned food, or daily essentials like toiletries or soap.
A monk who asks you to donate money while doing his alms is most likely a fake monk.
Reports of fake monks in Pattaya are quite common. In 2013, for example, a group of Cambodian monks was visiting touristy areas of Pattaya and asking tourists for money; they were duly rounded up and escorted back to Cambodia after receiving a ticking off by a head monk at Wat Chaimongkol in South Pattaya.