[Peace-discuss] Fwd: [New post] Rumble at the Temple

Sun Feb 26 12:46:43 UTC 2017

An article clarifying why many of those who have spent a long time in Asia, have little or no respect for either the Monarchy or Monks. This is Thailand, but the same applies to Burma etc. It’s politics, greed, and the involvement in killings etc.

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From: Uglytruth-Thailand <donotreply at wordpress.com<mailto:donotreply at wordpress.com>>
Subject: [New post] Rumble at the Temple
Date: February 25, 2017 at 22:47:18 PST
To: karenaram at hotmail.com<mailto:karenaram at hotmail.com>

New post on Uglytruth-Thailand
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[http://2.gravatar.com/avatar/b94c98491e599510a5ec039e64af3261?s=50&d=identicon&r=G]<https://uglytruththailand.wordpress.com/author/uglytruththailand/>
Rumble at the Temple<https://uglytruththailand.wordpress.com/2017/02/26/rumble-at-the-temple/>
by uglytruththailand<https://uglytruththailand.wordpress.com/author/uglytruththailand/>

Giles Ji Ungpakorn

[1328008185]<https://uglytruththailand.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/1328008185.jpg>

Prayut with his favourite fascist monk

Following the appointment of Umporn Prasattapong, Abbot of Wat Ratchabopit as the new Supreme Patriarch, the cog-wheels of the military junta are turning in unison with those of the fascist monk “Putta-Isara”. The military have now launched a full scale attack on the Dammakeye Buddhist sect.

[1423051905-11905-o]<https://uglytruththailand.files.wordpress.com/2017/02/1423051905-11905-o.jpg>

Umporn was appointed by Generalissimo Prayut, although according to procedure, he was officially appointed by King Wachiralongkorn. We all know how much Wachiralongkorn knows about or follows Buddhist teachings!

[njpus24ncqkx5e1d7edjovv1x8n06whgrv1ypxalbk9]<https://uglytruththailand.files.wordpress.com/2017/02/njpus24ncqkx5e1d7edjovv1x8n06whgrv1ypxalbk9.jpg>[560621-9]<https://uglytruththailand.files.wordpress.com/2017/02/560621-9.jpg>

Previously the guy in line for the top monk job was Chuang Sudprasert, the abbot of Wat Pak Nam and acting Supreme Patriarch, but he was accused by the Department of Special Investigation of forging documents over the importation of old classic cars in order to avoid tax. Previously Chuang had praised Prayut’s military junta in July 2014, hoping to become Supreme Patriarch. Chuang was believed to be close to the monks from the Dammakeye (Dhammakaya) sect.

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Dammakeye is a huge sect with a massive flying saucer shaped temple just north of Bangkok. It is steeped in scandal and accusations of accumulating untold riches. Urban middle class followers believe that the more you donate, the more merit you acquire. They also believe that people are poor because they sinned in their past life. Rich and powerful people have supported this sect for in the past.

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Chaiboon Sittipon or “Tammachayo”, abbot of Dammakeye, is currently trying to avoid arrest on corruption charges. Prayut used his dictatorial “Article 44” to order the police to invade the Dammakeye compound in a failed attempt to arrest him. Hundreds of Dammakeye monks and followers had a number of confrontations with the police. One man has tragically taken his own life in protest against this crack-down. Many are rightly questioning whether “Tammachayo”, or anyone else for that matter, can ever get a fair trial in the junta controlled courts.

The military dictatorship has also used Article 44 to place a police general in the post of director of the national office of Buddhism.

[%e0%b8%9b%e0%b8%b4%e0%b8%94%e0%b8%98%e0%b8%a3%e0%b8%a3%e0%b8%a1%e0%b8%81%e0%b8%b2%e0%b8%a29-e1487487337515]<https://uglytruththailand.files.wordpress.com/2017/02/e0b89be0b8b4e0b894e0b898e0b8a3e0b8a3e0b8a1e0b881e0b8b2e0b8a29-e1487487337515.jpg>

We must condemn the military junta for using its illegitimate power to try to crush Dammakeye. People should be free to believe or not to believe in any religion of their choosing.

We must also condemn any Buddhist monks, including supporters of Dammakeye, who incite hatred towards Muslims. The extremist anti-Muslim Burmese monk "Wirathu" has come out in support of Dammakeye.

Make no mistake, the side-lining of the abbot of Wat Pak Nam for the top monk job and the invasion of Dammakeye is totally about politics and little to do with corruption or Buddhist morals. After all, the junta has remained very quiet about the corruption of Generalissimo Prayut’s relatives and the fact that top generals and their allies are getting paid for their various jobs, even though they never turn up to do any work or attend meetings.

The abbot of Wat Pak Nam was deemed unacceptable to the junta because Prayut’s favourite fascist monk, Putta-Isara, and the yellow shirts, did not want the Pak Nam and Dammakeye factions to be in a position of power.

We should never forget that fascist monk Putta-Isara helped to wreck the February 2014 elections alongside Sutep’s mob. Putta-Isara’s followers used fire arms to intimidate those wishing to vote. Because he is Generalissimo Prayut’s favourite monk, he was recently allowed a free hand to demonstrate in the streets while others were prohibited. He has also accused Dammakeye of wanting to “overthrow the monarchy”, a standard charge against one’s opponents in Thailand. After Prayut’s strong-arm tactics against Dammakeye, Putta-Isara publically thanked him.

[An anti-government protester shoots his rifle, hidden it inside a sack, toward pro-government protesters during clashes in Bangkok February 1, 2014. Dozens of gunshots and at least two explosions raised tension amid anti-government protests in Thailand's capital on Saturday, a day ahead of a general election seen as incapable of restoring stability in the deeply polarised country. REUTERS/Nir Elias (THAILAND - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST)]<https://uglytruththailand.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/597376.jpg>

All this fighting between Buddhist sects and the involvement of the military junta, merely strengthen the argument that religion should be totally separated from the state and that religious hierarchies and top positions like the Supreme Patriarch, should be abolished.

uglytruththailand<https://uglytruththailand.wordpress.com/author/uglytruththailand/> | February 26, 2017 at 6:47 am | Tags: Buddhist Monks<https://uglytruththailand.wordpress.com/tag/buddhist-monks/>, Dammakeye<https://uglytruththailand.wordpress.com/tag/dammakeye/>, Fascist Monks<https://uglytruththailand.wordpress.com/tag/fascist-monks/>, Giles Ji Ungpkorn<https://uglytruththailand.wordpress.com/tag/giles-ji-ungpkorn/>, Military junta<https://uglytruththailand.wordpress.com/tag/military-junta/>, Putta-Isara<https://uglytruththailand.wordpress.com/tag/putta-isara/>, Supreme Patriarch<https://uglytruththailand.wordpress.com/tag/supreme-patriarch/>, Thai politics<https://uglytruththailand.wordpress.com/tag/thai-politics/> | Categories: Thai politics<https://uglytruththailand.wordpress.com/category/thai-politics/> | URL: http://wp.me/p4bxj7-rg

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