Thailand: Thai Buddhist ordination ceremony, Chiang Mai. Parents sitting behind touch the nakor monks-to-be, symbollically...

In Thai Theravada Buddhism young men are usually expected to ordain into the monkhood at some point in their life. Ordination into the Buddhist monkhood has never implied a lifetime commitment and most men usually only spend a short time in the temple. Entering the monkhood, even for a short time, is believed to bring great merit to the ordained as well as his parents. The Sukhwan Nak ceremony is a lay ceremony that precedes the full ordination ceremony. The ceremony is used to protect the monk-to-be from evil spirits as they are felt to be particularly vulnerable after they have had their heads shaved.