Silence at the edge of Thailand

Wat Thaton

The town of Thaton is 90 min. drive from Chiang Rai, less than 5 km from the Burmese border beside the

Mae Kong River

Atop a high hill, Wat Thaton is home to a famous Abbot

and 80 novice monks. Novices follow less rules than monks, adhere to

strict discipline, and have to study Buddhist literature

and Pali language.

Further up the hill are Kuti’s where

monks, lay people, and meditators live.

My home for the next 10

days

Ajahn Suthep, our meditation teacher, Britta (German music teacher), Walter (Retired Swiss music

conductor)

Panyavudho, the main translator and Foreign

Correspondant

Every morning at 3:30 a.m., this monk rings a deafening bell as wake-up call

4 a.m.: Monks, laypeople, and meditators gather in the Chanting hall for 45-60 minutes of chanting, followed

by 1 hour of walking/sitting meditation

6 a.m.: I usually go back to bed in my Kuti till 7:30ish, while the monks go on alms

round.

Breakfast and lunch is delivered at 8:30 a.m. and I have to ration. The food is good!

9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Meditation at the meditation hall.

One third of the meditation hall.

The Standing Buddha: Another place to meditate

Downstairs, where I

meditate if I come here

Upstairs

The Standing Buddha is 30 minutes walk from our Kuti with lots of up and down hills

View of Thaton from my meditation area downstairs

Britta doing some stretches upstairs

Great views of the Mae Kong river

A new Chedi under contruction can be seen on the way to the Standing

Buddha. Chedi’s are to house Buddha relics.

Lunch / Rest time 12:00 - 1:30. Meditators eat 2 meals a day. The white lines are anti-ants chalk.

Outside the meditation hall. 1:30 – 5:00 p.m. continue

meditation.

5 – 6 p.m.: Shower with cold water. This is the hardest part of

the day.

Sam (American writer). 6 – 8 p.m.: Chanting and meditation.

8 – 9+ p.m.: Every 2 days we discuss our meditation progress and other matters with Ajahn Suthep and

Panyavudho

Putting my camera on a stand

9+ p.m. – 3:30 a.m. Sleep.

A 30+cm long Gecko guards my window

against moths and other insects

Many spiders guard my kuti against mosquitoes, ants and other insects

A nice view in Chiang Rai

A fancy looking JVC mini-hifi for

S$400

The connecting tunnel between domestic and international flights at

Bangkok airport

The End