Ratthapark Wilairot is a buddist monk for 15 days - Printable Version +- TT Website Forum (https://www.ttwebsite.com/forums) +-- Forum: Isle of Man TT Website (https://www.ttwebsite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=3) +--- Forum: Other Race Meetings - MotoGP, WSB & BSB, Irish Roads etc - (https://www.ttwebsite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=13) +--- Thread: Ratthapark Wilairot is a buddist monk for 15 days (/showthread.php?tid=12387)

Ratthapark Wilairot is a buddist monk for 15 days - Malcolm - 06-12-2011 . The Thai Honda Singha SAG rider Ratthapark Wilairot has parked the bike for 15 days to assume his obligations as Thai citizen. As is the tradition in the Buddist Asian country, nearly all Thai citizens are obliged to become a temporary Buddhist monk at least once in their lifetime, for a few weeks up to three months coinciding with the monsoon period. The renouncement of desires and meditation are some of the activities that a Buddhist monk has to pass through, along with taking the holy orders, a ceremony that a new monk devotes himself to. Wilairot undertook the Buddist holy orders, and as is the custom shaved his head and eyebrows, donned a white robe in sign of pureness and carried an incense wand, candle and a flower in his hand as he was guided in a procession entering the Buddhist temple. Wilairot commented on the stage of his life he was about to go through: “This is going to be an important period of my life. Taking the holy orders and all this I’m about to go through is a way to find oneself and learn about the situations we experience during our entire life. Thinking about the end of 2010 and all of 2011, this is a great opportunity to leave behind all the things that happened and start a new period in my life. For a couple weeks you will see me with my head and eyebrows shaved, wearing Buddhist robes and doing my monk obligations.” I wonder if any of the present day TT riders would ever contemplate doing this kind of thing !!!! .