The 42-year-old housewife, who took the pledge at a Buddhist temple in Samut Sakhon, west of Bangkok, admitted she used to be a "heavy drinker". It was to address this paradox that the so-called Buddhist Lent campaign began in 2003, and last year it claimed more than eight million adherents. But Ubolwan Kongsawang, a regional volunteer with Thialand's Stop Drinking Network, said the Buddhist Lent campaign provides a "spiritual anchor" that boosts motivation. One advertisement for the Buddhist Lent campaign focuses on the social pressure to drink, in a culture where alcohol is everywhere, from funerals to festivals. "Our strategy is to continue beyond Lent, supporting villages and communities to reduce alcohol in daily life."