‘Not a gym’: Thai temple warns tourists against doing yoga in ‘revealing’ clothing at ancient site
Thai temple issues stern warning to tourists about their clothing
- Wat Pha Lat, a 14th-century Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand, has warned foreign tourists against disrespectful behaviour, including performing gymnastics and yoga in revealing clothing.
- The temple, known as the “hidden temple” issued the warning after images of tourists sunbathing in bikinis and performing acro-yoga sparked local backlash.
- In a Facebook post, the temple clarified it is a sacred sanctuary, not a recreational park or gym, and urged visitors to respect its status as an active place of worship.
- Authorities stated that if such inappropriate behaviour continues, the temple administration will be forced to permanently close the site to tourists.
- This incident follows similar efforts in other Asian destinations, such as Bali issuing new guidelines for tourists and a Japanese shrine restricting access due to visitor disrespect.