Buddhism in Thailand - What is making merit?

[@grahamreid2132]

What a great informative and nuanced segment on Thai culture, Buddhism, and other stuff I Inever had a clue about.

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Thanks, Graham. It was fun to make.

[@grahamreid2132]

@@RetiredGlobalLife Anytime counselor

[@standinkler5356]

Thanks for sharing. I have been studying Buddhism for a while. It helps to see real Thai practice with explanation.

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Thanks. I bet you are learning a lot of fascinating things. Best wishes.

[@WanderlustReports]

Thanks Joy, thanks Randy. You made good merit showing us all of this!

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Thank you! Best wishes.

[@Coffeethenride]

Morning Randy and Joy, thank you for the thoughtfulness you put into your videos. Randy could you share the name or a link please for the Chiang Mai Visa agency (your daughter's I think?) that you mentioned some time ago. Thank you and regards

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Thank you, and it is hhpremium.com

[@jonhobson3592]

Thanks 🙏 for making the video Randy & Joy 😊

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Always nice to hear from you, Jon. Thank you. It was fun to make.

[@perfectlylonely]

Smiled and teared up through the whole video

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

What a nice comment. Thanks!

[@roblacyclist1170]

Randy and Joy, I enjoyed this video. Thanks for sharing.🙏🏻

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Thank you, Rob. It was fun to make.

[@johncee8084]

I've watched many videos but not sure I ever commented. You both appear to speak gently and kindly with eachother and I like seeing that with couples. I wish you both continued happiness. Peace John

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

That is a nice compliment. Thank you!

[@bradleygaudet9151]

What a great video. I love Thai people. Such a beautiful culture. Was nice to virtually meet Joy's mom and aunt.

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Thanks. They are a sweet group and I know they enjoyed being the stars of a video. I kept myself out of the second half so just them. A fun video to make.

[@Swimallsummer]

Thank you for this interesting video about Thai culture

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Thanks, and you have a coot channel name. Good job. (:

[@Swimallsummer]

@@RetiredGlobalLife thank you, I indeed am a coot down in Texas

[@rebeccad8568]

A question off topic if I may? 😊 I’m in Chiang Mai in Sept/Oct and it’s always easy to find events to meet Farangs but where are some good places / events to get talking to Thais? Yes I try and talk Thai at the markets, taxis, temples but any regular events for Thai locals? ขอบใจนะ

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Thais have the same social activities we do: restaurants and bars, coffee places, shopping and church/temple. They will be all around you here so no problem about meeting them. With the right attitude from you, they will be interested in interacting with a foreigner, assuming you speak Thai. If not, your options will be limited.

[@gloryrich7123]

Absolutely beautiful and very informative.

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Very nice of you! Thanks.

[@yanzi1291]

​@@RetiredGlobalLifeI really like this Kind of video❤ Thank you!

[@lopat4826]

Thank you for telling the truth cuz I say the same thing!!.. help the people will help you let

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Nice to hear from you. Thank you.

[@EL68775]

Simpatic couple!❤🎉❤ and interesting information! Thank you! ❤

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Our pleasure to bring it to you.

[@wmcorbly2495]

So happy to see you back with a new clip. I feared for your safety after the last Video. Joy didn't look very pleased about your old time ventures. I think you should stock up on frogs before you fess up about your history. On a serious note, - - is there a more private way to message you?? I found your channel a short while ago and have been trying to review all that I have missed, but I have a couple of extra questions, myself. Thank you for your in depth exposure of all things Thai.

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Still alive and kicking... our email is [e-mail]

[@siamiam4306]

Great cultural information and insight to the mindset what of some Thais believe.

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Nice to hear from you. Thanks.

[@consulthai]

Well done guys! Nice to see Joy's Mum and Aunt too. 🙏 I used to live right accross that temple in Doi ping Mansion. My balcony looked right over it . There are graves there dating back more than a 100 years.

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Yes, very nice to film them. We filmed just yesterday. Usually I fiddle forever with editing but this one came together quickly and I wanted something wholesome after the last one, 555.

[@consulthai]

Hahaha . . Making merit and ask for forgiveness at the same time. I think today they marked up the offerings for Khao Phansa..X😉

[@Dana-ie2bh]

A lot of people used to follow the Buddha around and were always asking him how to reach Nirvana. He would tell them straight up. He said, I teach what "I" do to reach Nirvana, I don't care what you do, that is up to you.

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Hmm, interesting.

[@siripornpetcharatana6736]

I'm falling in love with khun Joy's smile, she is so sweet and lovely.❤

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Well that makes two of us! Yes, Joy is a lovely person in every way.

[@glendahill]

We're at a temple.... many takes later, and a shout out to the BBC! I remember seeing coloured baby chicks, does this mean anything Joy? Joys' mother and grandmother are adorable and so young looking! Such a great event/festival for the community, love it

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Glad you enjoyed it, Glenda. And always nice to hear from you. I don't remember colored chicks. There are different colored eggs, like aged century eggs. If Joy knows about colored chicks she will add a reply.

[@BangkokDayTours]

it is nice to see that someone is engaging with our culture🙏

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Thank you. Many interesting things to observe...

[@allenmiller5963]

Sadly I can report larger Wats even recycle flowers/incense offerings and resell them what can we make if this? When I was young, studying at Wat Bowonniwitt may years ago I had the privilege of being guided and taught by His Holiness Somdet Pra Sangharaj Chao Krom Luang Vajiranyanasamvara. I asked him once when I saw merit money practices of animal or flower offerings being resold, his response was enlightened "For your life you made merit, others resold you're offering but this doesn't diminish you or your merit, it diminishes them who commit such acts." Cheers! Allen

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Yes, a good comment from him. Personally I don't find reselling flowers offensive. It almost seems wasteful to throw away thousands of flowers...

[@RobFomenko]

I watched this with my Thai girlfriend. She said yes we know this but do it to make ourselves feel good. I said that is why I open doors for people and let others go first in line. Cost me nothing but helps others. and almost 40 years in the healthcare field i should have some good karma from that.... 😊 enjoyed it.

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Thanks, Rob. Appreciate the Thai input too. Best wishes.

[@karmaxxl7945]

Soo nice, Joy comes from a family of Beautiful women! David 🇨🇦

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Very nice of you! Joy will pass that along. (:

[@rebeccad8568]

Always love it when Joy says สวัสดีเจ้า northern thailand is the best! Also which thai band is playing?

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Yes, Joy speaks Lanna dialect all the time. A dying thing sadly. Will the next generation have it?

[@mangostickyrice555]

Thumbs up 👍

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Good to hear from you Mango.

[@carlotseinmon6172]

Well done.

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Thanks!

[@urs954]

@Randy, hello in one of your videos you mentioned that your daughter has a visa agency in Chiang mai. Could you please in one of your next videos show the address of the agency? Thanks

[@alan_magpie]

The agency is HH Premium Elite Visa Angles if that helps. I contacted them re a Retirement visa but was told they can't help any more with the initial 90 day O visa if you are already in Chiang Mai. Seems you open bank accounts on a tourist visa anymore in Chiang Mai .... albeit other agencies claim they can still. The certainly can help with Elite visa's and seem very professional.

[@urs954]

​@alan9510 thank you for your information

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

HHPremium.com, or google HH Premium Visa Consulting in Chiang Mai. She and her staff do Elite visas worldwide and many general visa services for those in, or coming to Chiang Mai. Also some relocation assistance.

[@SharonThomas-re3td]

The first part of your video, using animals to make merit should not be allowed in any country. But making merit to decorate the temples, feed the monks and the poor is a beautiful gestures

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Thanks for watching, Sharon!

[@jtns2845]

one’s religious practice is intensely personal and should teach good. what a particular person does in the name of a religion may be a problem with just the person, except when it comes to a religion and its supporters that espouses extermination of so-called amalek people.

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Yes, and thanks for commenting.

[@lostboi3974]

FIRST 😊

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Thank you! Always appreciate you commenting. Take care.

[@jinlakitikorn8715]

Nice 👍🙏

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Thank you! We appreciate it.

[@PracticerOfMetta]

The pigeons look like homing pigeons. They’re gonna come back no matter what.

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Could be....

[@MikeWood-yc1er]

Trained merit making birds

[@edwardpearce9668]

to let the fish go where a poor subsistence farmer can catch them and feed their children is better.

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Yup, true.

[@glenloader639]

To catch a wild bird, then cage it so it can be released for profit, and to make so called merit! There is no logic in the belief. People just following tradition blindly without any thought at all. OH BUT IT IS THAI TRADITION . YOU MUST FOLLOW IT JUST BECAUSE IT'S TRADITION. DON'T DARE THINK FOR YOURSELF!!!!

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Yes, it is odd, but hopefully people will think about it.

[@glenloader639]

@@RetiredGlobalLife I hope people will change, but really don't think so. Thainess is drummed into their heads from the time they go to kindergarden even before. The idea that tradition must be up held and not quered at all is so strong. Don't dare suggest to a older person they maybe wrong or there might be a better way to do or see something! There is little chance of change.

[@NITBAN]

Well, all we need is a Westerner who left the West and makes videos about how wonderful the East is to tell us what is culturally right and wrong. Don't get me wrong, you have an argument but I want to see it coming from the Thais. If you are talking about the impact of it on nature, a single oil spill from a western oil tanker is more than 100 years of this practice in Thailand. Priorities...

[@NITBAN]

An example... A few years back many western companies banned Thai coconut products (coconut milk, cream etc.) because they had trained (and well fed) monkeys to get the coconuts from the trees. But they didn't blink an eye when we used illegal immigrants in the US on low hourly wages without giving them any benefits (medical, retirement etc.).

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

Yes, an oil spill is by far worse, but can we talk about lesser things? And you do have one Thai person here telling you this.... so I don't get your point. I guess you need to learn Thai and watch Thai KZbin or news channels...

[@NITBAN]

@@RetiredGlobalLife I speak a little Thai, I can read a little. I lived in Thailand for 4.5 months this year and been there many times. I don't give much credibility to "a Thai person" saying something though, and she is your girlfriend, not a good sampling statistically. Right?

[@MichelCorbeil-bd5ji]

Hi Randy and Joy love 💖 yours guy's and thanks again for your great video. Me personally I will choose the water turtle for longer life but with your saying they will die because they cannot survive so will not do it and like this I will not die because my daughter will kill me loll. We have a small farm with chicken rabbit and a pond with Japanese fish and 4 cats and a dog "boxer" and we have 3 huge aquarium with turtles 4 she named like the movie ninja turtle and we have it for over 14 years so thank you for that info you just save my life loll😂😂😂 have a excellent day and stay safe. 💖🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@MichelCorbeil-bd5ji]

Hi again Trevor and Joy tell Joy that her mother she looked lovely and she have a nice smile.🙏🙏🙏