personal view on this part of Thai culture is that it is a great thing. Thailand is known as the land of smiles, and I think a big part of this is due to so many people making a commitment to their families, communities and themselves by becoming a monk for a time. Trying to live the vows of a Buddhist monk, even for a short while, can make a profound change in a person's way of thinking, and this in the long run, benefits society as a whole.