"Is Type really becoming a monk for his parents?"

"How does that work?"

"How can he marry if he's a monk!"

An opinion+ thread on what a monk ordination ceremony may mean, in TharnType context. (Mild novel spoilers)

#TharnTypeSS2EP11
#TharnTypeTheSeriess2
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@TharnType_s

Most Asian cultures have a belief that if you have a son, you should also have a grand child by this son, only then your family will be truly blessed. In some cultures like Indian, it is even believed that you will not reach heaven if you don't have biological kids/grandkids. +

I know it sounds archaic. I personally don't believe in it but it's a very common belief in Asian cultures; from a biological point of view, this guarantees a family's line to continue as 'legacy.' Hence, such cultures follow it like dogma, it's something ingrained in blood. +

Type knows he may not be able to give biological grand children to his parents - not only bcos he is endgame with a man but also bcos, canonically, he doesn't want to have kids, as he's not really into parenting.

(As of now, surrogacy is not legal for gay couples in Thailand) +

To most conservative Asian elders, legacy/grandkids is a direct route to a heaven-bound afterlife.

So, to offset the feeling that he is depriving his parents of this, Type decides to get ordained as a monk for a short time, to collect some extra krama points for his family. +

It's not that alone, of c, it's also bcos Type is already sad bcos he thinks Tharn has given him up. And Type's dad keeps pushing him towards a neighbour's daughter bcos he wants grandkids...

So all these factors influence Type to get ordained and aim for some mental clarity +

Of course in the show, we know many details from novel have been changed

A popular change is that Type indeed accepts Tharn's proposal, as foreshadowed by this little comic scene (yes, in Thailand, most men get ordained before marriage - why? Details later in this thread!)

*Mild spoilers*

Type will have a MUCH MORE SERIOUS fight with Tharn due to Fiat, but they make up eventually & reunite in the island. Still, Type will not go back on his decision to get ordained, as he wants to honour his words to his folks. Bcos, in Thailand it is a matter of +

pride and joy for parents when their son get ordained out of his own interest, bcos it means he is willing to suffer for the sake of his parents and, for the world. It means he is not afraid to give up luxury, reflect and become more mature. It means they raised a good son +

When you ordain as a monk, you cannot use tech gadgets to amuse yourself. You have to live a simple life in the monastery, away from your family. Your day is spent doing meditation and prayers... usually reflecting on your life or praying for the people you love or for the world.

As an ordained monk, you can reflect for a month, a year or for several years too.

Type decides to be ordained for a month.

Monks in ordination can have visitors briefly, but can talk from a distance only. So Tharn will take a flight every weekend just to speak to type +

I'm really looking forward to seeing all this brought to life on my screen! Show, pls don't disappoint me

In Thailand, monk ordination is something every son aspires to do as his filial duty. If you wanna know more about the ritual, check out this link https://theculturetrip.com/asia/thailand/articles/why-men-in-thailand-ordain-as-monks-before-getting-married

Here's an interesting fact from that article:

"A Thai man can ordain any time, but doing so before marriage is seen as a sign that he'll be a devoted, thoughtful husband, able to guide his spouse on the right path. Some may even not consent to marry a man who has not ordained!"

Thanks for reading this far! This is just an opinion thread from an Asian perspective, for those viewers wondering what role the monk ordination ceremony (and its cultural significance) plays in the TharnType dynamics we know, esp during the climax of S2.

This thread is based +

on my own research. If any Thai viewers have any feedback or can say what these candy-like goodies are, you're welcome (I guess they are much like the yummy sweet rice pudding or coconut jaggery dumplings Indians offer to devotees during holy rituals!) https://twitter.com/GulfieMamaT/status/1352895043204337664