Monks on Alms Round by Boat

In the olden days in Thailand, most people lived along canals and the only way they could travel around was by boat. At major intersections farmers would come together to create floating markets. With the building of roads and modern houses, many of these markets and riverside villages fell into a state of disrepair. People would drive their cars to supermarkets and monks would walk along roads on their alms round.

I took these pictures recently at the Old Bang Phli Market in Samut Prakan. They have special activities going on every weekend from now until early October. The idea is to both recreate and preserve the practices and culture of days gone by. Although it is still sometimes possible to see monks going on alms round by boat, it is a rarity.

I am glad I was able to witness this at the weekend.