What about volunteering in Thailand?
i have a wat i work with. they have helped me greatly and when i go there in person this year, i’m planning to offer to help them with anything they may need a hand with.
is it really true you can’t help monks and practice merit as a farang? it’s against the law?
how does this on any way protect thai workers and how is this even appropriate? i thought wats and monks were given some special preference. how can they deprive them of farang helping them out around the wat?
Seems kinda un-Buddhist
Edit: i’m kind of bummed out how this thread is going. Nobody knows what they’re talking about first of all, second, people aren’t even reading what I wrote or getting the right idea of what happened. I’m talking to my teacher who is ordained at the temple, I’m trying to go help out at. They thought it was a great idea to help out, and give some merit that way as well as the money I already give. So drop all these weird posts please with all the bizarre assumptions
TLDR : Answer Summary
Foreigners can engage in certain volunteer tasks at temples in Thailand, but it's important to note that any work requires a valid visa and work permit. While many participants in temple activities do help with chores—such as cleaning or maintenance—without formal permission, it remains a legal gray area. While helping out might not draw significant attention, participating in regular volunteer work could be seen as infringing on local employment laws, so it's advisable to approach the abbot or temple authorities for permission. Overall, informal contributions to the temple, especially if arranged with local monks, are generally welcomed, though depictions of legality can vary and confusion is common.
