Thai netizens condemned vendors promoting non secular offerings to overseas vacationers at extortionate prices outdoors the famous Erawan Shrine in Bangkok after a video went viral on social media of a vendor charging Chinese vacationers over 10,000 baht for an providing set.
Erawan Shrine is considered one of the most popular spiritual sites in the capital metropolis. Formally often identified as the Thao Maha Phrom Shrine, the shrine homes a statue of Phra Phrom, the Thai representation of Brahma, the Hindu god of creation. The identify may also refer to Mahabrahma, the ruler of the Brahma realm in Asian mythology. It is situated in Bangkok metropolis centre at Ratchaprasong Intersection, near the CentralWorld shopping mall.
Tourists, notably Chinese, visit the shrine to pray and make needs, then return to make offerings after their needs are fulfilled.
Offerings for Brahma, including flowers, elephant statues, food, and performances by Thai dancers, could be purchased both inside and outdoors the shrine.
Locals know the high price of offerings exterior the shrine and like to convey offerings from home. Undiscovered showing the high price of offerings on the shrine was circulated on social media however deleted to guard Thai tourism’s image. The video showed a set of choices sold to Chinese vacationers for over 10,000 baht.
Channel 3 went to interview the vendor who was featured within the video. The seller said…
“I’m nervous after seeing the video on social media. I remembered that a group of seven to eight Chinese prospects. They came with a Thai tour information. They got here to offer sacrifices and acquired many types of offerings. They bought so much, so the value reached 10,000 baht.”
The vendor claimed to have units for sale starting from a hundred to 1,200 baht every and acknowledged that prospects can select any set they prefer.
The vendor reported working the shop for 30 years and acknowledged that she by no means coerced customers to buy choices.
As reported, the group bought two sets at 1,200 baht each, two units at 900 baht each, two units at 600 baht every, and sixteen birds at 500 baht each, totalling 13,four hundred baht.
Channel three reported that choices contained in the shrine had been cheaper, almost 50% decrease than those outdoors. However, some overseas vacationers were unaware of the price distinction and bought offerings outside the shrine.
Yesterday, the deputy commander of the Tourist Police Thailand, Apichart Suribanya, informed the media that it’s regular for retailers outdoors the shrine to promote more expensive offerings.
Apichart stated that the police had warned sellers to clearly state costs and threatened legal motion for overcharging. No complaints have been made about overpriced choices after the police’s warning..