PM Prayut: Naming of next Supreme Patriarch can wait

[webfact]

PM: Naming of next Supreme Patriarch can wait

BANGKOK, 12 January 2016 (NNT) – Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has affirmed no appointment will be made for the new Supreme Patriarch for the moment, saying all issues must be ironed out first.

Activist monk Phra Buddha Issara has submitted 300,000 names to the government in protest of the endorsement of His Holiness Somdet Phramaharatchamangkhlachan, Acting Supreme Patriarch of Thailand, as the new Supreme Patriarch.

In response to the objection, Gen Prayut insisted that unless the pending dispute has been resolved, no one will be considered for the Buddhist leader position. He added that the matter will have to take into account the national situation and appropriateness.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said the government has not received any names of candidates so far. He urged all sides to refrain from making remarks on the matter as they could deepen the conflict.

The deputy premier also promised that the government will ensure transparency and exercise prudence and thoroughness in the deliberation process while adhering to the law and the custom passed on from ancient times.


-- NNT 2016-01-12

[Bob12345]

I suggest that the PM considers himself for this Buddhist leader position.

He is such a good person and of course it will only be temporary as he will promise to let go of the power as soon as hell freezes over.

[tukkytuktuk]

Interesting article on the topic of next supreme patriarch of Thailand. Seems politics and religion move as one. http://buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=52,12622,0,0,1,0#.VpSbYdwxVcs

[FangFerang]

Pra Budda Isaara has successfully blocked a candidate that disapproved of Isaara's involvement in Politics.

What a travesty of a monk.

[Srikcir]

When Pra Budda Isaara and Suthep speak, Prayut listens!

[englishoak]

Hmmm so is Buddhism run by the state and soldiers too now then ?

[Bluespunk]

"He urged all sides to refrain from making remarks on the matter as they could deepen the conflict."

Yes, keep it all in. Don't express your thoughts. That always turns out well.

[DrTuner]

Politicians, military, monks. Same same but different.

[khaowong1]

Interesting article on the topic of next supreme patriarch of Thailand. Seems politics and religion move as one. http://buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=52,12622,0,0,1,0#.VpSbYdwxVcs

Very interesting. What's also interesting is, when China says it's govt. is going to elect the new Dali Lama, the whole world goes into an uproar. So how is this any different with the Thai Govt. electing a new Supreme Patriarch? I'm not sure what the answer is, as the Sangha Council is loaded with Dhammakaya adherents I wouldn't expect them to be fair. Are there any monks in Thailand that stands out? That could fill the needs and wants of the people?

[bangrak]

It's easy to agree with all the posters here who write that politics, and the Executive Power, should not get mixed up into spiritual matters, Buddhism here, and also that Buddhist monks, abbots, somdets(?) should not get involved into politics. That should bethe ideal to strive for, ...but the reality of life, and society, shows an, alas, quite different picture, not only in Thailand.

Although, it should be made clear, again and again, that the so-called holy Sangha is NOT a Buddhist institution, but, only, a part of the Thai Executive Power, dedicated to the ruling over all matters linked with Buddhism in this country...

So, to me, it seems quite normal, to say the least, to have the Executive Power having its say about important matters concerning the Sangha, such as the appointing of a new Supreme Patriarch. ...Or even to come up with the decision to close down, suppress, the Sangha forever!

Isn't it kind of an 'uneasy' thing to see a reverred abbot giving the impression he was choosing the side of the PDRC? Yes, it was! Was he at the time maybe expressing what was living among the Buddhist believers he represented, in a quite new way, with a clear sense of the way to make use of the media? Possibly, I would think so, also that he was clear with himself and straight forward in his 'quest'. BUT, by doing so, he turned his back to the principle of reserve which should be essential in his role as a monk.

What then about the scores of monks and abbots we have clearly seen(!), openly, siding for the Shins and their red shirts? Where was the general indignation about all these clerics, officially, in their robes, in their temples and on the streets, 'spreading the word', defending, fighting for Thaksin and his cohorts?

Where was their 'reserve', weren't they, most totally, wrong considering the many violences these 'people' involved themselves in? (Not even speaking of all the ones taken in picture participating to violences, ...or wearing RayBans and smoking while hanging on a GSM, were those maybe all members of Thaksin's pretorian guard, policemen in disguise, maybe?

Two wrongs don't make one right, I agree with that very much, but where were all these posters then, why were they so silent then?

[bangrak]

IMHO, the Executive Power should, among the expected reforms, with its extended powers, now, tomorrow, pure and simply, dissolve, suppress, the whole Sangha thing, and create a more appropriate, independent, structure for the Buddhist SPIRITUAL affairs, while having all temples, communities, sects, cults, whatever, register as companies, and be held to keep books, present a yearly balance, file income tax declarations, and, though with some special clearances..., pay taxes on their revenues, ...and the same for all monks, abbots, somdets, etc., just like the normal citizens they should be, in a democracy!

(N.B.: for sure not keeping the present stucture in place though, not to keep the present Acting(!) Supreme Patriarch in place, considering the many, erm, 'spots' on his very long resumee, and knowing how wrong it can go here to have 'caretakers' running the place, ...taking care of themselves and their close friends!)

[seajae]

buddhism in Thailand is a joke these days, they are now in it for the side benefits, cash and worldly goods they can snaffle from the thai people. The last thing they need is another top dog that simply lets them do as they please and rip off thais, they need to stop all the political bullsh*t they get involved in, stop the money laundering, stop the graft and corruption that is now ingrained in the monks/temples and remove any financial benefits these people have accrued for themselves. They are supposed to shun worldly goods, not very likely in Thailand as they seem to want everyone to donate cash etc to them, time they get a leader that will come down on all this garbage and strip those monks that are enriching themselves through their practices, at least issara is partially right in this one but he too needs to be pulled into line along with all the corrupt monks and those that are using it as a front for their own benefits, they also need to control the finances of the temples so the rorting stops.

[bangrak]

Did anyone miss the declaration of the chairman of the UDD, Mr Jatuporn, about this matter?

Saying the Government should not intervene in the case and simply act as a mailbox, ...not to mix politics into the affair.

UDD, Jatuporn, declaration, no politics... Yeah right...

What was quite 'interpellating' for me was how Mr Jatuporn came up for the first candidate and present Acting Supreme Patriarch, AND in the same sentence ...defending a certain monk called Dhammachayo!

I have always considered the whole Dhammakaya cult as a treath to Thailand's security, with its over a million (brainwashed?)(affluent!) followers in Thailand, organised as an army (//Moon, ...or Hitler Dhammachayo said to admire a lot) ...and a large majority of the Thais living abroad (in many countries the only Thai Buddhist temples existing, and financial cash cows, are Dhammakaya).

I was not aware there might be a link between Thaksin and Dhammachayo, and all the things they represent, but if and when so, as Jatuporn's intervention might make thing, it would be a major element on the Thai ...political chessboard, an even more dangerous one than both in isolation, and it are not the points of 'community of interests' which are missing...!

[khaowong1]

I'm not sure how his health is, but at 88, this might not be a bad candidate for the post. Luang Phor Jarun of Wat Amphawan in Singburi. I've been to his temple many times and find him very kind and enjoyable to listen to.

[EyesWideOpen]

The fact that the the government is controlling the supreme patriarch

position is bizarre, as are most things in Thailand. Am pretty sure the

government of Italy does not have a say on who becomes the next pope.

However what it does imply is that Buddhism is used to

control the Thai people , therefore the government wants to

keep control on who that person is.........

[khaowong1]

Wondering the same thing EyesWideOpen.. I think your on to something here.

[bangrak]

The fact that the the government is controlling the supreme patriarch

position is bizarre, as are most things in Thailand. Am pretty sure the

government of Italy does not have a say on who becomes the next pope.

However what it does imply is that Buddhism is used to

control the Thai people , therefore the government wants to

keep control on who that person is.........

Sorry to say, but you are comparing apples with pears: the Catholic church has long been a 'wordly' power, very focussed on 'the material' in all its shapes (next to the control over the'souls, the remains of this being the Vatican state(!) (independent from Italy), with its own 'government' (still), and army (now the Swiss guard). Now, where can that be compared with Buddhism, in Thailand...?

It is clear though that all religions, especially so the monotheist ones, have, quickly, evolved to become 'worldly powers', very involved in politics, locally but the more so over the borders of the states, controling not only the people's minds but lifes too, to the point of, for the Christian church(es), 'making'(!) all Kings and Emperors of Europe for many centuries.

And exactly that, or rather the opposite of it, is, or should I say: was, for Thailand, 'the beauty' of Buddhism, which is, let's not forget, NOT a religion: it is the single focus on the spiritual and the person, with a clear rejection of all things 'worldly' and material, but here it seems to have largely chosen the, old, path of those monotheist religions: control the Thai people, accumulate power and wealth, alas...!

So, shouldn't the Executive Power, the Government, be quite weary about who's leading (what has become of-) Buddhism in Thailand? Especially when there are some doubts and allegations concerning the present Acting Supreme Patriarch, concerning possible abuses and corruption? Or, even more dangerously IMHO, about possible 'preferential links' with Phra Dhammachayo, and his Dhammakaya 'army'?

In your opinion, shouldn't the DSI and other agencies conduct all possible investigations about every, any, allegation or suspicion, concerning an Acting, and candidate, Supreme Patriarch, maybe? ...As all State agencies should do about a score of monks, abbots, etc. suspected of being, or quite well known by the public to be..., involved in quite some 'un-holy' activities in the land, indeed!

[scorecard]

Pra Budda Isaara has successfully blocked a candidate that disapproved of Isaara's involvement in Politics.

What a travesty of a monk.

For some balance perhaps you could read the less then positive resume of the actual candidate.