A tourist is seen practicing yoga inside Wat Pha Lat Temple in Thailand. Photo courtesy of the temple
Foreign tourists who posed in yoga positions at a temple in Chiang Mai have drawn criticism from many Thais, who view the behavior as offensive and culturally inappropriate.
Wat Pha Lat Temple on Jan. 18 posted a notice on its official Facebook page in both Thai and English, along with images showing several tourists performing acrobatic yoga poses on cliffs and structures within the temple.
The notice called on visitors and Buddhists to cooperate, respect the sacred space, and comply with regulations while visiting the site.
The post quickly spread on social media, sparking heated debate.
Most comments condemned the tourists’ actions as offensive, disrespectful, and unsuitable for a religious institution, according to Khaosod newspaper.
The temple explained that Wat Pha Lat serves as a place of worship for monks and is also a historical monument.
Prohibited activities within the temple grounds include practicing yoga or other physical exercises, climbing statues, stupas, waterfalls, or rocks, wearing swimwear or inappropriate clothing, and making noise that disrupts the sanctity of the site.
The management board of the temple warned that continued disrespect could lead to the site being closed to visitors in order to safeguard its sanctity.
Earlier, on Jan. 7, a group of foreign tourists also faced backlash in Thailand after being seen sunbathing in bikinis near a temple in Chiang Mai, a practice widely deemed inappropriate and disrespectful to local culture.
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