Chiang Mai Office of Buddhism confirmed the abbot of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is one of the monks in the photo taken on the ‘’Revenge of the Mummy’’ ride at Universal Studios Hollywood, California.
The photo, dated June 21, 2012, was submitted to the press by an anonymous person who claims the monk sitting second from the left on the front row is none other than the famous Phra Thep Warositthajarn, the abbot of Chiang Mai’s most popular temple.
Narong Songarom, the director of the Chiang Mai Office of Buddhism, says the photo had earlier been released just after it was taken and it was also criticized in the media at that time.
“This photo was taken a long time ago, and the abbot has received a warning from the higher monks not to repeat the action because Buddhists might find it inappropriate,” Narong says.
The monk was invited by disciples to a Buddhist ceremony at Wat Doi Suthep’s branch temple in California in June, 2012. After the ceremony, the disciples took him to the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park to relax.
Narong described the roller coaster in the photo as Rommaneeya Satarn, translated to “permitted for all to visit”. It was not considered by Buddhists to be a place of ill repute.
Besides, the abbot could not reject the offer, and riding the Revenge of the Mummy is no different than being in a plane.
“Everyone has made mistakes. Personally, I think monks on a plane and monks on a roller coaster are no different. We should not be biased, and this is not even a severe offence,” says Narong, Thairath and NationTV reported.
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Doi Suthep’s abbot caught riding roller coaster at Universal Studios, California
