why do thai men have to be monkhood when they are about 21 years?
Serving in the monkhood is an ideal for all males in Thailand. Although many young men continue to become official members of the Sangha, as the monkhood is called, for many others it is not practical or not possible due to family financial obligations. The three-month Buddhist Retreat is a time when the new monks are initiated into the order, and it is a time when many young men, and older men, who can not become full-fledged monks engage in a short period of service. We'd like to give readers a better understanding of what becoming a monk in Thailand means and what the Sangha represents.
The decision of a young man to become a monk, and thus to make merit for his family, is an extremely important act. The making of merit should not be looked upon lightly in this context because Thais believe that merit (boon and kwam-dee), plus demerit (bap), is always rising and falling and that one's future, in this life and in the next, can change at any moment. Together, merit and goodness determine a person's level of existence at any moment in time. This is what is generally known as a person's karma. Thais see both their suffering and enjoyment at any time as a result of their own karma, and making merit increases their level of existence in Thai society and hence their enjoyment. By entering the monkhood, a young man can make merit for himself and for his family.