Thai police raid Dhammakaya temple in hunt for wanted monk

[Mr Man]

Thai police have entered a Buddhist temple on the outskirts of Bangkok in a bid to arrest a monk wanted in connection with alleged money laundering.
Officers began raiding the site on Thursday after previous attempts were thwarted when thousands of the monk's devotees turned up in his defence.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-38989424

LIVE UPDATES FROM WAT DHAMMAKHAYA RAID

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/inte ... haya-raid/

[gavesako]

Temple takeover
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1199117/
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha took effective control of Wat Phra Dhammakaya with an overnight Section 44 decree - opening the temple to immediate assault.


Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha issued an order to declare Wat Dhammakaya and surrounding areas as an area under control by the authorities in apparent preparation for a raid to arrest the controversial abbot.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/br ... s/30306456

[gavesako]

Hide and Seek

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/culture/n ... kaya-says/

Thai cops have uncovered secret tunnels running underneath a space-age temple of the controversial Dhammakaya Buddhist sect, as their manhunt for an elusive elderly monk accused of massive embezzlement entered a second day.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/br ... s/30306566

[Turmeric]

Hide and Seek

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/culture/n ... kaya-says/

Thai cops have uncovered secret tunnels running underneath a space-age temple of the controversial Dhammakaya Buddhist sect, as their manhunt for an elusive elderly monk accused of massive embezzlement entered a second day.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/br ... s/30306566

I was told the tunnel was actually a basement used for storing water.

[chownah]

I was told the tunnel was actually a basement used for storing water.

The dry season is approaching and if there is an underground facility for storing water right now it would be full of water from the recent rains in anticipation of the soon to arrive dry season.

If the tunnels are for storing water are they presently full of water?....if not then it is unlikely that they are for water storage.

I am wondering if there is any basis for saying that the underground area was a "secret". It might be that there is really no secrecy involved and only that the police did not know about them and it does make a juicy headline to mention "secret" things.
chownah

[Turmeric]

I was told the tunnel was actually a basement used for storing water.

The dry season is approaching and if there is an underground facility for storing water right now it would be full of water from the recent rains in anticipation of the soon to arrive dry season.

If the tunnels are for storing water are they presently full of water?....if not then it is unlikely that they are for water storage.

I am wondering if there is any basis for saying that the underground area was a "secret". It might be that there is really no secrecy involved and only that the police did not know about them and it does make a juicy headline to mention "secret" things.
chownah

Tanks of water, not a well. And there's only one way in and out. It's a room, not a tunnel.

[Dhammanando]

If the tunnels are for storing water are they presently full of water?....if not then it is unlikely that they are for water storage.

Today's Bangkok Post says that it's for the purpose of supplying a waterfall. I was a bit surprised to read this, as I've never seen any waterfall in the photos of Wat Dhammakaya.

Wat Phra Dhammakaya is more than a temple. It qualifies as an empire. Besides the main headquarters in Pathum Thani with its golden dome that looks like a flying saucer on top of a grand hall, there is a 3km long underground tunnel through which water from a lake is pushed by over 230 pumps up a wall 14 stories high to splash down and form an artificial waterfall, and a building topped with a globe-like structure. It has spread its wings to reach out to the world with meditation centres overseas and across the country, most of which encroach on forest reserves or parks.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opin ... k-has-fled

[gavesako]

Dhammakaya empire seen from the air (with some cost estimates)

https://www.baabin.com/204298/

[Turmeric]

Dhammakaya empire seen from the air (with some cost estimates)

https://www.baabin.com/204298/

That's good. A giant expensive temple attracts millions of people to come practice the religion. Lp Dhammajayos goal is to get everyone in the world to practice meditation so everyone can attain inner peace. A beautiful temple like this is very helpful for that. Phramongkulthepmuni told his students not to run away into the forest but to stay in society because the people in society need help. And this is exactly what they stay in society doing. This giant temple has contributed billions of baht to public charities, provided natural disaster relief in the country, spent their money helping poorer temples, spent their time helping thousands of school children with their v-star project, resurrected 1,900 abandoned temples, and the list goes on. Hopefully it gets bigger in the future.

[gavesako]

This article clarifies the current situation in the Thai Sangha and the challenges it faces:

http://www.newmandala.org/restoring-tha ... ual-realm/

[samseva]

This article clarifies the current situation in the Thai Sangha and the challenges it faces:

http://www.newmandala.org/restoring-tha ... ual-realm/

That is a good article. Thanks, Bhante.

[gavesako]

Another in-depth analysis covering the connection to Thai politics and the Dhammakaya attempt to dominate the whole Thai Sangha which has led to a backlash:

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN163037

[gavesako]

The Burmese ultra-nationalist monk U Wirathu (aka "The Face of Buddhist Terror") with his Ma Ba Tha followers has come out in support of the abbot of Dhammakaya and urged the Thai government to stop destroying Buddhism. The Dhammakaya supporters are spreading a rumour that it is all part of a secret Muslim plan to take over Thailand -- similar to the argument that Rohingya Muslims are going to take over Burma.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-24/m ... ya/8302348

http://www.tnews.co.th/contents/y/302720

https://www.khaosod.co.th/view_newsonli ... 1458116226

“I believe the incident is politically motivated as the former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his sister Yingluk were disciples of Phra Dhammachayo,” U Wirathu told The Irrawaddy after the event.
“I know Phra Dhammachayo and his Dhammakaya well, they are Buddhist monks with strict discipline and I believe he has no relation to the money laundering,” he added.
Dhammakaya Temple organized a mass donation in 2015 to strengthen religious ties between Burma and Thailand and awarded Buddhist nationalist group Ma Ba Tha an honorary award for safeguarding religion in 2016.
“The accusations of the government of Thailand are a great insult to the abbot who is enthusiastically working for the flourishing of Buddhism and nationalism which is vital for the country,” said U Wirathu.
“We condemn the government of Thailand for this ugly action against Buddhism and request the government of Thailand to leave Dhammakaya and let Phra Dhammachayo, who is innocent, live in peace again,” he added.
https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/u- ... emple.html

+ + +

Buddhist nationalist group Ma Ba Tha has been awarded the World Buddhist Outstanding Leader Award in Thailand.
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/nation ... iland.html
http://www.bangkokpost.com/print/907264/

[gavesako]

GOODMAN VS. BADMAN IV: CLASH OF THE THAITANS
For Thais, following the ongoing police-military blockade of Wat Dhammakaya by the regime is like watching a movie unfold. The problem is two competing sagas are unspooling in tandem, depending on your political and religious predispositions.
Which do you prefer?
http://www.khaosodenglish.com/opinion/2 ... -thaitans/

[gavesako]

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha Saturday invoked Article 44 of the interim charter to sack the director of the National Office of Buddhism.
In the order signed by Prayut as the chief of the National Council for Peace and Order, Phanom Sornsilp was transferred from the post of National Office of Buddhism director to become a special inspector at the PM’s Office.
He was replaced by Pol Lt Gen Pongporn Pramsaneh, commander of the Tax Case Division of the Department of Special Investigation.
The transfers took immediate effect.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30307285

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general ... monks-told


The National Office of Buddhism (Thai: สำนักงานพระพุทธศาสนาแห่งชาติ, abbreviated ONB) is an agency of the central government of Thailand. It is an independent department, reporting directly to the prime minister. ONB, alongside the Thai Sangha, sponsors Thailand's overseas Buddhist missionary policy and activities.

While Thailand is currently a constitutional monarchy, it inherited a strong Southeast Asian tradition of Buddhist kingship that tied the legitimacy of the state to its protection and support for Buddhist institutions. This connection has been maintained into the modern era, with Buddhist institutions and clergy being granted special benefits by the government, as well as being subjected to a certain amount of government oversight.

In addition to the ecclesiastic leadership of the sangha, a secular government ministry supervises Buddhist temples and monks. The legal status of Buddhist sects and reform movements has been an issue of contention in some cases, particularly in the case of Santi Asoke, which was legally forbidden from calling itself a Buddhist denomination.

To obtain a passport for travel abroad, a monk must have an official letter from Sangha Supreme Council granting the applicant permission to travel abroad; Buddhist monk identification card; a copy of House/Temple Registration; and submit any previous Thai Passport or a certified copy thereof.

In 2006, the Thai National Office for Buddhism cleared the Dhammakaya Foundation and Luang Por Dhammajayo of all accusations[28] when Luang Por Dhammajayo agreed offer all of the disputed land to the name of his temple.[29]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_in_Thailand