The constitution guarantees gender equality. Why do female monastics not receive state support as monks do then? The Thai Nuns Institute raised this question last month at parliament. They are still waiting for an answer. A group of white-robed, head-shaven nuns or mae chee from the Thai Nuns Institute met the House sub-committee on Buddhism affairs last month to voice the problems which female monastics face. They also called for state support to make it easier for Buddhist women to live a monastic life. About 4,000 mae chee are registered with the Thai Nuns Institute. But the number of nuns …