Superstitious Thais seeking “lucky” lottery numbers from a mysterious monk residing at a Sattahip cemetery left frustrated after the cleric told them to cast away their greed and embrace goodness.
Hundreds of people have come to Chaninpat Kawkanya, 35, of Kanmatuyaram Temple in Bangkok at his temporary abode at the Marb Fakthong cemetery of the Sawang Rojanathammasathan Foundation over the past four months.
Superstitious Thais seeking “lucky” lottery numbers from Chaninpat Kawkanya, a mysterious monk from Kanmatuyaram Temple in Bangkok who is temporarily residing at a Sattahip cemetery, left frustrated after the cleric told them to cast away their greed and embrace goodness.
He stayed there to meditate and pray for the dead and occasionally gave sermons to devout Buddhists who arrived to pay homage to him.
But March 15, a day before the twice-monthly government lottery draw, a larger crowd assembled, all seeking “lucky” numbers from the soothsaying monk.
They didn’t like the message they got.
Palad told them that he came there to seek merit and not luck or lucky numbers for anyone. To be lucky or not is based each individual’s fate, he said. If one can remain in goodness, that is deemed the greatest fortune.
His message was supported by the Tham Dee Hai Nong Doo group of Buddhist worshippers, whose members came to the cemetery to make merit for the dead to lessen the sins of their soul and to honor HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn for her 60th birthday.
The group held up signs expressing their wish to protect Buddhism from being blemished and the cemetery sullied by those seeking lottery numbers and vice.
The disgruntled gamblers slowly filed out of the cemetery, but some diehards stuck to their superstitions, praying at the graves of the interned, hoping their ghosts would help them hit the big payout.
