Humble monks?
Nov 29, 2014, 5:14 pm
#17
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: ROP Gold
Posts: 1,292
Fly by private jet?
There was a kerfuffle last year, actually it happens every few months...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ing-iPods.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...o-8662286.html
There was a kerfuffle last year, actually it happens every few months...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ing-iPods.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...o-8662286.html
Nov 29, 2014, 5:57 pm
#18
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Posts: 217
I was seated in Y from CNX-BKK yesterday and there were four monks on the A330 (2-4-2 in Y). Two were seated together in 32A-B, and the other two were seated in 32EF, leaving the two aisle seats unoccupied, presumably to help avoid an accidental brush with a female. C had many unoccupied seats. But then, these monks looked quite humble and were not carrying designer gear.
Nov 30, 2014, 5:51 pm
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 12,375
Tip o' the iceberg, seems there's a 'temple' scandal here every week or so, some are quite unbelievable, but then corruption eventually seeps into every aspect of life when accepted as "normal".
Protecting monks from themselves
Special report: Regime tackles sex, money scandals in nation's temples
Published: 1 Dec 2014 at 06.00
Scandal after scandal has come to light involving rich temples and the misconduct of monks, spurring the military government into action by initiating a law that seeks to bring order to the clergy.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...rom-themselves
Protecting monks from themselves
Special report: Regime tackles sex, money scandals in nation's temples
Published: 1 Dec 2014 at 06.00
Scandal after scandal has come to light involving rich temples and the misconduct of monks, spurring the military government into action by initiating a law that seeks to bring order to the clergy.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...rom-themselves
Dec 1, 2014, 11:43 pm
#23
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: BKK
Programs: TG ROP Platinum, M&M Senator, IHG Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 8,330
Dec 2, 2014, 5:58 am
#24
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
Dec 2, 2014, 8:10 am
#25
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: BKK
Programs: TG ROP Platinum, M&M Senator, IHG Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 8,330
Feb 3, 2015, 5:37 am
#27
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 69
Clearly because Thai's have far more respect for their coreligionists than Delta or EL Al have for orthodox Jews who have the exact same restrictions regarding females.
Feb 6, 2015, 12:44 pm
#28
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 704
It is a tricky business when a monk travels because many people, thais and non-thais, assume that monks should just receive the lowest level of service/product as they are "supposed to live a simple, humble life." The truth is- it is inconvenient for the monks/passengers/flight attendants alike when the monks travel in coach, especially on a long flight. A monk cannot have a physical contact with a woman, and when a monk is flying in the tight economy class, it's difficult for him and the female passengers/flight attendants to try to avoid each other... and one would have to arrange the seating assignment beforehand, so that the monk will not be seated next to a female passenger. Food service is also a challenge. Monks cannot eat past a certain time, but like anyone they do have to eat to survive. So on some flights, monks cannot receive the same food service like the other passengers due to this time restriction. Also- Thai people are often uptight/uneasy being around a monk, so having one seated so close to them is undesirable.
What UTTER lunacy!!!
For these reasons alone, I think that a monk should always be upgraded when flying. It's just easier for everybody.
I don't think it's a TG's policy to give monks automatic upgrades. However, people who deal with monks frequently and understand these challenges know to try to book monks in business class, if possible. When a monk travels for personal reasons, he'd do it on his own expense. However, when he's traveling on a mission (which is often the reason why monks do travel), the organizer of the mission would usually cover the expenses and if they know better, they would book the monk in business class. Most monks don't have that much money, but even if they do, they usually won't spend it on flying business class.
Now- there are also monks who are wealthy or come from a wealthy family. Being a monk is not necessarily a life-long commitment. It's a rite of passage for Thai men. Some become a monk for a week, month, year, etc.; these monks, before they entered monkhood, are just normal people with jobs, with family, with frequent flyer membership and elite status.
What UTTER lunacy!!!
For these reasons alone, I think that a monk should always be upgraded when flying. It's just easier for everybody.
I don't think it's a TG's policy to give monks automatic upgrades. However, people who deal with monks frequently and understand these challenges know to try to book monks in business class, if possible. When a monk travels for personal reasons, he'd do it on his own expense. However, when he's traveling on a mission (which is often the reason why monks do travel), the organizer of the mission would usually cover the expenses and if they know better, they would book the monk in business class. Most monks don't have that much money, but even if they do, they usually won't spend it on flying business class.
Now- there are also monks who are wealthy or come from a wealthy family. Being a monk is not necessarily a life-long commitment. It's a rite of passage for Thai men. Some become a monk for a week, month, year, etc.; these monks, before they entered monkhood, are just normal people with jobs, with family, with frequent flyer membership and elite status.