Kathina ceremony

[gerry53]

After over 12 years here in Thailand this is a new one for me.  I know Kathina is a Buddhist ceremony in Oct or Nov after the heavy rains where people give gifts (money) to temples for new clothing.  Older people (end of life types) seem to use this as a religious rite for merit and spend a lot of money for a party and donations.  Has anyone had any experience with this as friends and family are supposed to contribute money to this cause.  What is considered a reasonable donation?

Thanks in advance

[JoeNemesis]

Check here for how the ceremony is celebrated in Thailand. As a farang you are assumed by locals to be wealthy and if you're going to participate in the ceremony at all, you'll be expected to give money. And if you donate a money tree, your merit and the merit of your Thai wife/GF will be hugely enhanced if you give generously, so a money tree from you will be received very well. 20 or 30 100 baht bills should do the trick. Plus a new saffron robe.

[gerry53]

Thanks Joe that was informative and gives me a ballpark figure as a guide.  The person putting on this celebration is a close elderly relative of my wife's and my wife indicated she needed to go out and work to help pay for the ceremony?  As with many ceremonies I envisioned 10 monks at 500 baht each plus 1K baht for the head monk and many ceremonies are multi days?  Then there's the food bill?