PHATTHALUNG - Suthep Thaugsuban will hit the road again this time as a monk.
Phra Suthep is seen in a billboard of Wat Hua Toey in Pak Phayun district of Phatthalung province, which lured him to join in a krathin ceremony. (Photo by Assawin Pakkawan)
At least two temples in this southern province successfully lured Phra Suthep to join in a kathin ceremony and were quick to promote his participation.
Signs promoting Phra Suthep's appearances popped up on roadsides in Phatthalung, for both the monk's robes-donation ceremonies at Wat Lohharn in Pa Bon district on Oct 10 and Wat Hua Toey in Pak Phayun district Oct 12.
''All Buddhist worshipers are invited to join the kathin ceremony with Phra Suthep Prapakaro,'' reads a Wat Hua Toey billboard carrying a picture of him with People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) protestors in the background to remind everyone of what he did before donning the orange robes.
Wat Lohharn's billboard had a picture of Phra Suthep larger than the temple's abbot.
The kathin ceremony is a traditional festival held at the end of the Buddhist Lent period, which this year falls Oct 8.
Phra Suthep led several walking campaigns in Bangkok when he led the PDRC to try to unseat the Pheu Thai Party-led government, which eventually was toppled by army chief Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha in a coup May 22.
He entered the monkhood on July 15 at Wat Tha Sai in Kanchanadit district of Surat Thani province and stayed at Wat Suan Mok in Chaiya district.
Phra Suthep wrote on his Facebook page that several hundred well-wishers have visited him at the temple every day, but he made clear one thing:
"I cannot give a sermon to you now. Give me some time for that,'' he wrote his page Monday.