Dead tourist #5 in Chiang Mai

[Flashermac]

There is an educated academic group that opposes the status quo. My wife is part of it and supported the red shirts last year because there seemed no other option. I was talking to a retired university prof the other day, and she admitted that she was also a red shirt for the identical reason.

 

Unfortunately, the real political power struggle is still between one group of rich ammart and another group of rich ammart who pretend to be prai. And isn't it interesting how almost all the leading figures of every political party just sort of happen to be Chinese?

 

 

 

[Bangkoktraveler]

 

<< Some Buddhist in modern times have immolated themselves (set them selves on fire) very similary to the Hindu practise of sati. >>

 

 

Those have been Mahayana Buddhists, not Theravada. Theravada is closer to the Buddha's actual teachings. Mahayana has boddisatvas and has almost turned the Buddha into a deity. (Tibetan Buddhists even fought wars for power against each other! )

 

Thee Theravada Buddhist viewpoint is one of - "This is what we believe. Accepted it or not, it is up to you." And even if you do fark up and get sent to hell, it will not be forever as in the Judeo-Christian and Islam religions.

 

 

Thích Quảng Äức immmolated himself in 1963 in Viet Nam. He was Theravada Buddhist. There were other monks who did the same thing but I can not remember any of their names.

 

Being Buddhism came out of Hinduism and immolation came from Hinduism. I am surprised that some of the Buddhist excepted this belief.

 

Sati has been banned in most countries but still is practiced today.

[Flashermac]

 

He was Theravada? That's news to me ... and the rest of the world. I never saw a Theravada monk in Vietnam, only Mahayana monks who dressed in black. There are some Theravada monks in the Mekong Delta (once part of Cambodia), but I never got down there.

 

 

<< Hòa thượng Thích Quảng Äức (born Lâm Văn Tức (1897 – 11 June 1963) was a [color:red]Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk[/color] who burned himself to death at a busy Saigon road intersection on 11 June 1963. >>

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thích_Quảng_Äức

 

 

[dave32]

Chiang Mai is one of my favorite places to explore, thus far.

 

In other words, clean this shit up!

 

Just saying....

[Bangkoktraveler]

He was Theravada? That's news to me ... and the rest of the world. I never saw a Theravada monk in Vietnam, only Mahayana monks who dressed in black. There are some Theravada monks in the Mekong Delta (once part of Cambodia), but I never got down there.

 

 

<< Hòa thượng Thích Quảng Äức (born Lâm Văn Tức (1897 – 11 June 1963) was a [color:red]Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk[/color] who burned himself to death at a busy Saigon road intersection on 11 June 1963. >>

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thích_Quảng_Äức

 

 

 

Your right.

 

I didn't look it up, thanks.

 

I have tried figuring out what parts of Hinduism the Thais have accepted. Some of them seem to accept a fair amount while others it seems to be up for grabs.

 

The one Hindu deity I am amused about is Trimurti. I never seen a statue of Trimurti for sale in Thailand even though some of the Thais seem to really like Trimurti. It seems Trimuriti is the one for them to go see if they want love. Figure it out.

[Flashermac]

The Thai seems to have adopted bits and pieces of whatever they liked from Hinduism - Brahma, Vishnu, Ganesha especially. Also, assorted Brahman ceremonies have been adopted too - the just completed Ploughing Ceremony and the now discontinued ceremony at the Giant Swing.

 

I don't really think most Thais have any idea at all of what Hindus believe. They just adopt the "fun" parts. Reminds me of the Cao Dai in Vietnam, who have blended Buddhism with Christianity and whatever else they felt like throwing into the pot.

 

[Bangkoktraveler]

The Thai seems to have adopted bits and pieces of whatever they liked from Hinduism - Brahma, Vishnu, Ganesha especially. Also, assorted Brahman ceremonies have been adopted too - the just completed Ploughing Ceremony and the now discontinued ceremony at the Giant Swing.

 

I don't really think most Thais have any idea at all of what Hindus believe. They just adopt the "fun" parts. Reminds me of the Cao Dai in Vietnam, who have blended Buddhism with Christianity and whatever else they felt like throwing into the pot.

 

 

Buddhism came out of Hinduism. Christianity came out of Judaism. I know a lot of Christians who can't believe the Jewish God is the Christian God.

 

Prbably same for Buddhism in respect to Hinduism.

 

Then you add a little animism.......

[Flashermac]

The Buddha taught that gods are irrelevant. When asked about God or gods, he would answer something like: How do you expect to understand God when you do not even understand yourself? At other times he would say: God can take care of himself. Worry about yourself.

 

The Buddha rejected Hinduism, from the hierarchy of gods to the entire caste system. He was a Brahman but dressed like a "harijan" and associated with the peasants. Not surprising that Hindus in a backlash destroyed many Buddhist monasteries in India. Hinduism also tried to make the Buddha an avatar of one of their gods. I've heard the same thing said about Jesus.

 

 

[tartempion]

It's certainly a long time since anybody achieved it in one lifetime since we are now at 2544 years B.E. (Beyond Enlightenment) of the last one!

 

That might be a wrong statement:

 

Luangta Maha Bua Yannasampanno

 

Birthdate : Tuesday 12th August 1913.

Passing Away: Sunday 30th January 2011 Time: 3.53 am.

At the Age : 97 years 5 months 17 days, 77th year of monkhood

Date of attaining Artahantship: May 15th 1950 Time: 23.00 pm.

 

Luangta was born into a farmer’s family with the last name “Lohitdee†in the village of Ban Tad, Amper Munag District, Udorn Thanee Province on Tuesday 12th August 1913 . This date falls on the 11th night of the waxing moon 9th Month , the Year of the Ox. His Father’s name is “Mr Thongdeeâ€, his mother’s name is “Mrs Pangâ€. His parents gave him the auspicious name “Bua†(which means lotusflower).

 

Now, Luangta has passed away and entered Parinibbana, gone from all of us and will not return again. We have come here to send Luangta until the last point on the border, which is the borderline between the World and Freedom.

 

 

[Coss]

[color:blue]Further obfuscation from the Thai Authorities.

[/color]

 

Thailand says not enough evidence to link deaths

5:30 AM Thursday May 26, 2011

 

Authorities in Thailand say there is insufficient evidence to link a spate of mysterious tourist deaths, including that of New Zealander Sarah Carter, in its northern city of Chiang Mai.

 

Ms Carter, 23, fell violently ill on February 3 while staying at the Downtown Inn in Chiang Mai and died a day later.

 

Her two New Zealand friends and travelling companions, Emma Langlands and Amanda Eliason, also fell ill but later recovered.

 

Four other foreigners and a Thai guide also died while staying in the popular tourist destination between January 11 and February 19 of this year.

 

Six of those who died stayed at the Downtown Inn, while three others stayed at two different hotels.

 

Thai Ministry of Public Health's Department of Disease said in a statement that beyond that there were "few common traits" in their deaths, noting international toxicologists were assisting their investigation.

 

"Despite the best efforts of Thai authorities and international partners, a complete explanation for the cause of deaths may not be found for all cases," it added.

 

The statement refuted the theory that the tourists died as a result of exposure to insect control chemical chlorpyrifos.

 

Experts said chlorpyrifos generally emits a strong odour, which was not reported by those who fell ill, and is not usually fatal unless ingested or inhaled in very large quantities, the statement said.

 

"Furthermore, the details of the clinical and laboratory investigation do not support chlorpyrifos as a cause," it said,

 

This comes after an investigation by TV3's 60 Minutes which aired earlier this month found trace elements of chlorpyrifos, used to kill bed bugs, in the hotel room Ms Carter was staying in, prompting calls for Thai authorities to investigate.

 

Chiang Mai Public Health Office deputy chief Surasing Visaruthrat, who chaired a meeting attended by doctors and experts from various agencies, earlier said the chlorpyrifos theory "carries little weight", the Bangkok Post reported.

 

"We can't jump to a conclusion that toxin exposure was the cause of the death because the substance was allegedly found in the hotel room alone, not in the victim's body."

 

Ms Carter's father Richard Carter refused to accept Thai authorities assertion she probably did not die as a result of being exposed to the chemical.

 

"They've basically just shown that they'd prefer to cover it up rather than to put it out it in the open," Richard Carter told NZPA earlier this month.

 

- NZPA