At Bangkok's benjasri park, you can see an odd sight on certain Sundays. A queue of some 50 or so Buddhist monks in saffron robes will be found standing facing an equally long line of city folk stretching in the opposite direction. In their hands the city folk hold what looks like a gift package. Each of them will hand this over to his corresponding monk, receive a blessing, and move off. The next gift bearer will then step forward to the next monk.

It's called "making merit". Think of it as toting up spiritual brownie points to improve your karma so that in your next incarnation you don't get born as a toad or a gecko. Thai people, I have noticed, are always finding quick and easy ways to make merit. Giving alms to a beggar, helping out a stranded tourist, feeding stray dogs and cats, all qualify. Even smiling back pleasantly to make someone feel good might count.