My Chiang Mai

A young man who became fascinated by temple life as a small boy and became a Buddhist Abbot in his 20’s, has been awarded an Honorary Master of Engineering Degree by Rajabhat Lampang University.
Kruba ‘Noi’ Pairat of Wat Doi Noi (”the little hillside temple”) in Lamphun, just off the main road south from Chiang Mai to Lampang, has achieved unique feats since being installed at the temple 10 years
ago. Within 3 years he had organised the construction of an enormous Buddha figure – all within 24 hours – and started his own radio station.
He then appealed for donations of used cooking oil, from which he made bio-diesel and sold it from a pump just outside the temple grounds. He has initiated machines for planting rice, low-cost air-conditioners and is now producing petrol from waste plastic

He has created such a popular following that older temple members believe he is a reincarnation of Kruba Siwichai. The original “engineer monk” died just before World War II having built many monasteries, temples, and the winding road from Chiang Mai to the top of Doi Suthep.
As an Abbot, now aged 32, Kruba Noi is not allowed to wear the University robes presented to him last month, so members of his temple have bought him a wardrobe so they may be kept smartly!
Copyright: Derrick Titmus
Photo Copyright: Angsiyanan Oumpin

Apparently linked to the charges against Pettit, a Buddhist monk and a layman accomplice have been arrested by the same Chiang Mai police team, accused of procuring under-age boys for rent to foreign paedophiles.
Phra Vissanu Tejdhammo of Wat Pa Lan and layman Surasak Kaewman (51) each face 6 charges of sex abuse and taking children away from the control of their parents.

‘Pattaya Daily News’ reported today that police say the monk, while dressed as a layman, would attract children from hilltribe villages and take them to Kaewman’s house in the city. There, Kaewman seduced them before introducing them to clients.

Police say that the monk’s handphone has images of Kaewman having sex with boys, 6 of whom were found in his house when he was arrested. Also found in the house was a baseball bat, electric prod and condoms.

Article contributed by David Hardcastle, Copyright David Hardcastle 2010

Almost 100 monks, from Wat Umong in Muang district in Chiang Mai, the home province of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, have joined the red shirt rally violating a Buddhist regulation that bars them from taking part in political activities.

The monks are defiant, even to the point of saying “so, defrock us then!”, they are determined to remain at the rally and to serve as what they call a ”human shield”  between the protesters and the police.

In a recent letter to the Office of National Buddhism (ONB), the pro-red shirt monks attempted to justify their participation in the rally by saying their presence would serve as a warning to the government not to use force against the demonstrators.

But the monks are treading a fine line when they speak on stage at the UDD’s rallying point at the Phan Fa Bridge. Some were also seen riding pillion on red shirt motorcycles during the movement’s mass mobile rally through Bangkok last Saturday.

Phra Ajaan Pairat, also known as Phra Kru Ba Noy, is the young Abbott of Wat Doi Noi, the “Little Hillside Temple” near Lamphun, and since he arrived 6 years ago the place hasn’t been the same since!

In late 2003 he fulfilled his dream of building a huge Buddha image in just 24 hours (‘Good Morning Chiangmai NEWS’ January 2004), now he has opened the temple’s own radio station which broadcasts on 88.50FM every day, and a plant for producing smokeless diesel fuel!

Oh, and there is a free English class for beginners every Sunday morning, organised by, yes, you guessed it, Two years ago Phra Ajaan was on his own at the temple, now there are 14 monks and novices, all eager to learn from him. He is self taught in English and everything else he does.

To produce what he terms “Bio-Diesel”, Phra Ajaan mixes ethanol alcohol and potassium hydroxide with the oil to produce his smokeless fuel.

He has used the fuel in his family’s car for 3 years to ensure it was effective and safe. If you go to see him at the temple he will gladly show you an experiment in which he dips one tissue in diesel fuel and another in his bio-diesel, then sets them both alight. The one soaked in diesel fuel burns with a terrible black smoke, the bio-diesel burns cleanly with no smoke.

There is now a fuel pump at the temple.  With the residue oil left after the filtering processes, Phra Ajaan uses it for cooking. Nothing is wasted!

You can hear English on his radio station from 9-10.00am every Sunday, one of my contributions to the temple, the other being English conversation for the monks afterwards.

Anyone coming here will love the place as much as I do, the surrounding countryside is breathtaking. Don’t expect a Wat Pratat Doi Suthep, but expect a lovely warm feeling at a very simple temple with this exceptional Abbott.
Take the Super Highway out of town, past the Big C Supermarket, and continue due south along the Lampang road (route 11). Some 30kms from Big C you will see a blue sign written in English: ‘Community Forest’. Do a U-turn here, drive past a small police station and turn left at another ‘Community Forest’ sign and follow your nose.

Copyright © Derrick Titmus, no reproduction without prior permission.