We drove up into the mountains to visit the massive Wat JD Mongkol temple complex in Roi Et province. This massive site was still under construction when we last visited a year ago so we thought we would drop in and see how works were progressing.
The layout of the place is that you arrive to find a large government tourist shop (OTOP shop), a parking lot and lots of vendors. There is a massive gate from which you drive another half kilometre or so up a steep road to reach the temple grounds. Except some fool had locked the gate. Blocking access to a perfectly good road and a parking lot right at the front door of the temple.
Inquiries with the local vendors revealed that the gate was locked three months previously, and that no-one knew why, and that it was killing business for the vendors. Eventually one suggested that the authorities had locked the gate so folks were forced to park outside the govenment tourist shop, and hopefully spend money there.
This has backfired, as many older visitors just can't manage the steep walk. As most visitors are in fact elderly folks coming to pay respects, they have stopped coming. And because the temple needs donations to continue the massive construction works, work has slowed right down as donations dwindle.
Eventually the officials will figure this out and unlock the gate, until then, well, visitors are welcome to WALK the rest of the way.
Not to be deterred as we had several older folks with us, some of us walked up and tried reasoning with the temple officials. Suprising they saw sense in this and opened a rear gate to allow us to drive in. They didn't ask for money but we gave them a tip anyway for having the grace to see reason.
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