And it is absolutely unthinkable that bhikshuni could simply be reintroduced. Therefore, Thai women who want to lead a religious life have to settle for the status of mae chi who subscribe to only eight precepts compared to the 227 monks follow, giving them an inferior status. Outside religious circles, it is widely believed that young nuns have entered the sisterhood because they are broken-hearted while old nuns living at monasteries are perceived as mere temple hands. And beggars posing as nuns only worsen their already lowly image. Unlike monks, nuns get very little social support and must work, usually in menial jobs, to support themselves.
Many nunneries grow their own food to cut expenses.
Despite their religious commitment, nuns have an ambiguous legal status and state policies towards them are inconsistent. For example, the Interior Ministry bars them from voting because they are categorised as clerics. But other state agencies legally regard them as lay women. Finally, due to its low status, the sisterhood rarely attracts urban, educated women, leaving its ranks to be filled by chao ban - villagers who have long been a voiceless group. Despite discrimination, many nuns excel in dhamma practice and in social work, especially in rural areas.