((PKG)) THAI MONK
((Banner: A Peaceful Crossing))
((VOA THAI))
((Reporters/Camera: Warangkana Chomchuen, Pinitkarn
Tulachom))
((Adapted by: Philip Alexiou))
((Animated Map showing the path: From Santa Monica
.to.New York))
((Pop-Up Banner: Earlier this year, a Thai Buddhist monk
began a 5000 km walk across the US, a journey that lasted
121 days))
((NATS))
((Sutham Nateetong, Buddhist Monk))
A pilgrimage walk is my preferred way to meditate. If I take
my pilgrimage walk to promote peace, it will benefit even
more people. At the same time, it will take me to places
where people dont usually see a monk. Thats also an
opportunity to spread the teaching of the Buddha. So, I
decided to walk to promote peace around the world. I
started my journey from the Pacific Coast at the Santa
Monica pier. Is it pear or pier? Oh, pier! And so, I have
been walking since then.
((NATS))
((Sutham Nateetong, Buddhist Monk))
Before my journey, I sought some advice from my senior
friend and other people. But they didnt take my plan very
seriously because they didnt think it would be possible.
They must have thought that this monk was out of his
mind. I told my friend that even if no one cares, no one
lends a hand, I will still go ahead. So, when things got tough
in the beginning of my journey, it didnt bother me.
((Sutham Nateetong, Buddhist Monk))
I did some planning before starting this walk for peace.
((Photo Courtesy: Sutham Nateetong))
Route 66 isnt just historical. Its also one of the longest
highways that cuts across the U.S.
((NATS))
((Spencer Johansen, Mayor of City of Lexington,
Illinois))
Its usually, we get the travelers, thats, you know, in the
vehicle, of course, and theyre travelling the historic Route
66. Some of them come up here in City Hall and talk and
stuff but I dont recall anybody with ever a cause or a
message as he was promoting, and I dont recall anybody
that inspired me as much as his visit has. I researched,
How do you greet a monk? because Ive never met one
before. And I was concerned about that, you know, and
when he first approached me, he gave me a hug and I
thought, Man, this is, this is easy! You know, thats pretty
simple.
((NATS))
((Karen Wingo, Manager, Thrift Avenue, LLC, Lexington,
Illinois))
I decided that I was just going to lock the shop and walk
toward, as far as I could, to meet him. I was interested
because Ive never met a monk, and then for someone to
walk the entire distance of from Santa Monica to Chicago,
that was impressive.
((NATS))
((Photo Courtesy: Karen Wingo))
((Karen Wingo, Manager, Thrift Avenue, LLC, Lexington,
Illinois))
He smiled at me. He was very welcoming, and I shook his
hand. We talked the entire time and it was fantastic. I asked
him how many pairs of tennis shoes it took to get from where
he was to where he was now? And he said, four. What I
did ask is, I wanted to know how he was doing a walk for
peace? How do you promote that? And then he said, If
youre happy inside, then you just, people can feel your
peace.
((NATS))
((Sutham Nateetong, Buddhist Monk))
Walking for peace doesnt require much. I focus on sharing
with people a sense of peace, showing them kindness. And
I think they can feel it because our minds can
touch. Peaceful and kind minds will seek and find each
other.
((NATS))
((Sutham Nateetong, Buddhist Monk))
When people see how committed I am, help started pouring
in, from the Thai and Lao communities, from American
people, as well as native Americans. They have given me
all sorts of assistance, such as helping me plan routes,
providing me food and support.
((NATS))
((Location: Dwight, Illinois))
((Carissa Gunty, Resident of Dwight, Illinois, Christian
Kobels Fianc))
We looked it up online, and we read that you can offer him a
place to stay, stuff like that. So, we both discussed and said,
you know, it would be nice to invite him to come here, so that
he doesnt have to sleep in a tent or a hotel.
((Christian Kobel, Resident of Dwight, Illinois, Carissa
Guntys Fianc))
Theres so much more that we can be as humans and to
each other, and he represents that. And its, just, its great. I
mean, I hope that thats the message that our people receive
from him when they have the chance to meet him, if they
take the chance to meet him.
((NATS))
((Location: New York, New York))
((Sutham Nateetong, Thai monk)
I hope that these positive feelings and feedback will continue
to build up until I reach New York. And I want everyone, in
the U.S. and around the world, to build it into a momentum
for peace, to make peace that lasts.
((NATS))
((Sutham Nateetong, Buddhist Monk))
Even though this is a small step towards promoting peace,
Im glad Im a part of it, and Im glad I can bring people
together for this.
((NATS))
((Location: Pacific, Missouri, Zitzman Elementary School))
((Karen Wingo, Manager, Thrift Avenue, LLC, Lexington,
Illinois))
People can say what they want, but hes actually walking the
walk, basically. The fact that he even bothered to do this
through the United States, that means he cares about us
too. Because he could keep it local, and go to countries that
he was familiar with, or that he could communicate with
better, but to even come to the United States, to me,
personally, I think that shows me that people from other
cultures care about one another.
((NATS))
((Banner: A Peaceful Crossing))
((VOA THAI))
((Reporters/Camera: Warangkana Chomchuen, Pinitkarn
Tulachom))
((Adapted by: Philip Alexiou))
((Animated Map showing the path: From Santa Monica
.to.New York))
((Pop-Up Banner: Earlier this year, a Thai Buddhist monk
began a 5000 km walk across the US, a journey that lasted
121 days))
((NATS))
((Sutham Nateetong, Buddhist Monk))
A pilgrimage walk is my preferred way to meditate. If I take
my pilgrimage walk to promote peace, it will benefit even
more people. At the same time, it will take me to places
where people dont usually see a monk. Thats also an
opportunity to spread the teaching of the Buddha. So, I
decided to walk to promote peace around the world. I
started my journey from the Pacific Coast at the Santa
Monica pier. Is it pear or pier? Oh, pier! And so, I have
been walking since then.
((NATS))
((Sutham Nateetong, Buddhist Monk))
Before my journey, I sought some advice from my senior
friend and other people. But they didnt take my plan very
seriously because they didnt think it would be possible.
They must have thought that this monk was out of his
mind. I told my friend that even if no one cares, no one
lends a hand, I will still go ahead. So, when things got tough
in the beginning of my journey, it didnt bother me.
((Sutham Nateetong, Buddhist Monk))
I did some planning before starting this walk for peace.
((Photo Courtesy: Sutham Nateetong))
Route 66 isnt just historical. Its also one of the longest
highways that cuts across the U.S.
((NATS))
((Spencer Johansen, Mayor of City of Lexington,
Illinois))
Its usually, we get the travelers, thats, you know, in the
vehicle, of course, and theyre travelling the historic Route
66. Some of them come up here in City Hall and talk and
stuff but I dont recall anybody with ever a cause or a
message as he was promoting, and I dont recall anybody
that inspired me as much as his visit has. I researched,
How do you greet a monk? because Ive never met one
before. And I was concerned about that, you know, and
when he first approached me, he gave me a hug and I
thought, Man, this is, this is easy! You know, thats pretty
simple.
((NATS))
((Karen Wingo, Manager, Thrift Avenue, LLC, Lexington,
Illinois))
I decided that I was just going to lock the shop and walk
toward, as far as I could, to meet him. I was interested
because Ive never met a monk, and then for someone to
walk the entire distance of from Santa Monica to Chicago,
that was impressive.
((NATS))
((Photo Courtesy: Karen Wingo))
((Karen Wingo, Manager, Thrift Avenue, LLC, Lexington,
Illinois))
He smiled at me. He was very welcoming, and I shook his
hand. We talked the entire time and it was fantastic. I asked
him how many pairs of tennis shoes it took to get from where
he was to where he was now? And he said, four. What I
did ask is, I wanted to know how he was doing a walk for
peace? How do you promote that? And then he said, If
youre happy inside, then you just, people can feel your
peace.
((NATS))
((Sutham Nateetong, Buddhist Monk))
Walking for peace doesnt require much. I focus on sharing
with people a sense of peace, showing them kindness. And
I think they can feel it because our minds can
touch. Peaceful and kind minds will seek and find each
other.
((NATS))
((Sutham Nateetong, Buddhist Monk))
When people see how committed I am, help started pouring
in, from the Thai and Lao communities, from American
people, as well as native Americans. They have given me
all sorts of assistance, such as helping me plan routes,
providing me food and support.
((NATS))
((Location: Dwight, Illinois))
((Carissa Gunty, Resident of Dwight, Illinois, Christian
Kobels Fianc))
We looked it up online, and we read that you can offer him a
place to stay, stuff like that. So, we both discussed and said,
you know, it would be nice to invite him to come here, so that
he doesnt have to sleep in a tent or a hotel.
((Christian Kobel, Resident of Dwight, Illinois, Carissa
Guntys Fianc))
Theres so much more that we can be as humans and to
each other, and he represents that. And its, just, its great. I
mean, I hope that thats the message that our people receive
from him when they have the chance to meet him, if they
take the chance to meet him.
((NATS))
((Location: New York, New York))
((Sutham Nateetong, Thai monk)
I hope that these positive feelings and feedback will continue
to build up until I reach New York. And I want everyone, in
the U.S. and around the world, to build it into a momentum
for peace, to make peace that lasts.
((NATS))
((Sutham Nateetong, Buddhist Monk))
Even though this is a small step towards promoting peace,
Im glad Im a part of it, and Im glad I can bring people
together for this.
((NATS))
((Location: Pacific, Missouri, Zitzman Elementary School))
((Karen Wingo, Manager, Thrift Avenue, LLC, Lexington,
Illinois))
People can say what they want, but hes actually walking the
walk, basically. The fact that he even bothered to do this
through the United States, that means he cares about us
too. Because he could keep it local, and go to countries that
he was familiar with, or that he could communicate with
better, but to even come to the United States, to me,
personally, I think that shows me that people from other
cultures care about one another.
((NATS))
