"Tham Boon" - Thai Merit-Making Explained

Merit-Making in Thailand: How Locals Earn Good Karma (and How You Can Too Without Offending a Monk)

If you've spent more than five minutes in Thailand, you've probably seen someone making merit. Whether it’s feeding monks at sunrise, releasing a turtle that’s seriously questioning its life choices, or gluing gold leaf onto a Buddha statue's belly button. Thais make merit like it's part of their daily skincare routine.

But what exactly is merit-making? Why are locals so into it? And can a tourist do it without accidentally committing a karmic crime?

Let’s dive in.

What Is Merit-Making? (Besides a Word You Pretend to Understand)

Merit-making or "tham boon" in Thai, is how Buddhists build up good karma points. It’s believed that doing good deeds in this life helps you in your next life. You know, just in case you’d rather not be reborn as a lizard in someone’s kitchen.

Merit-making isn’t just a religious act; it’s woven into everyday Thai life. Locals do it for peace of mind, to honor loved ones, to celebrate birthdays, and even just because it’s Tuesday and they passed a temple on the way to 7-Eleven.

How Often Do Locals Make Merit? (Spoiler: A Lot)

Unlike tourists who try it once and post it on Instagram with a caption like "Giving back in Thailand #blessed", Thai locals make merit regularly, and sometimes daily.

Here’s how they do it:

Morning alms-giving: Many Thais give food to monks at dawn before heading to work, like a holy version of handing out breakfast burritos.

Temple visits on Buddhist holidays: Like Makha Bucha, Visakha Bucha, or just any major full moon that feels spiritually spicy.

Special occasions: Birthdays, anniversaries, job promotions, or when someone wants to erase bad luck, cue an emergency temple run.

Funerals and memorials: Families make merit for the deceased, sometimes with entire ceremonies that include chanting monks and questionable amounts of incense smoke.

Daily acts: Feeding stray animals, donating to temples online (yes, merit goes digital), or simply being kind. Even refraining from yelling at someone who cut in line earns a few karma points.

How Locals Actually Make Merit (And What That Looks Like to You, a Confused Foreigner)

1. Alms-Giving (Early Morning Edition)

What it looks like: People kneeling by the roadside, giving rice and water to barefoot monks.

What you’re thinking: “Is this a religious ceremony or a food delivery app with extra steps?”

This is one of the most common forms of merit. Monks walk their morning route, collecting offerings silently while people kneel respectfully (and caffeine-deprived).

2. Offering at Temples

Locals bring offerings such as flowers, incense, candles, and food to their local temple. Some even bring their kids so they can learn from a young age that gold statues don’t accept chocolate milk.

3. Releasing Animals

Fish, birds, turtles, eels and more. Freeing them is a symbolic act of mercy. Although some animals have seen this movie before and are just waiting to be re-caught.

4. Sponsoring Monks or Temple Repairs

Yes, you can gain merit by paying for a new temple roof, robes, or even a better monk microphone. Karma comes with receipts. Temples let merit makers even write personal messages on the inside of roof tiles, a smart move be that could come straight out of an Advanced Marketing course.

5. Chanting or Meditating

Some locals join temple activities like evening chants or weekend meditation retreats. Or at least, they try to meditate before falling asleep on the temple floor.

Can Tourists Join In? Absolutely (Just Don’t Be Weird About It)

Merit-making is open to everyone, and Thais generally love it when visitors show interest in their traditions, as long as it's done respectfully.

Things you can do as a traveler:

Participate in alms-giving with a guide or local host

Light incense and make a quiet offering at a temple

Donate to a temple (even small amounts are appreciated)

Join group meditation or a monk chat (yes, that’s a thing)

Release fish or turtles (just make sure it’s ethical and not at a fish recycling center)

Things you should NOT do:

Take selfies mid-offering like you’re in a shampoo commercial

Shove money directly into a monk’s hand

Wear spaghetti straps and shorts that scream "I just came from the beach"

Ask the monk if you can touch his iPhone (he probably has one, but don’t ask) or visit his kuti.

Final Thoughts: Merit Isn’t About Perfection But About Intention

You don’t need to be a Buddhist, speak Thai, or even fully understand what’s happening to participate in merit-making. Just be kind, respectful, and open-hearted.

Whether you're offering sticky rice to a monk at 6 a.m., gently setting a turtle free while it silently judges your fashion choices, or just helping someone cross the street, you're part of a tradition that’s been quietly shaping Thai life for centuries.

So go ahead, make a little merit. Your karma (and your travel experience) will thank you.