Sangha council seeks compromise after bell-ringing disturbs condo residents

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Sangha council seeks compromise after bell-ringing disturbs condo residents

By The Nation

 

 

Hot debates on social media has prompted Buddhism’s highest body to seek middle-ground solutions, in a controversy over a 300-year-old Bangkok temple’s pre-dawn bell-ringing that led to a complaint being filed by a resident of a nearby condominium that was built less than a decade ago.

 

 “We have to find a common ground where monks can perform monastic duties fully while nearby community residents don’t feel that their rights are violated,” said Sipbavorn Kaew-ngam, secretariat office director for the Sangha Supreme Council (SSC) of Thailand. “We must find a middle ground for co-existence, so there will be no dispute.” 

 

The SSC on Thursday dispatched officials on a fact-finding mission to Wat Sai in the Rama III area. The officials will seek information from both temple abbot Phra Athikarn Preecha Punnasilo and the Bang Kho Laem district office in an effort to find solutions to this sensitive matter, Sipbavorn said. 

 

In a follow-up to a warning issued to the temple by the district office during the Buddhist Lent period last year, it this week asked the temple to tone down daily ringing of the 1.2-metre-tall bell from 3.30am to 4am to avoid disturbing nearby residents.

 

If more complaints were filed, the district office may send officials to measure the decibel level of the bell while it was being rung as measured at the temple and nearby, said district assistant director Wanthanee Sawangtrakul.

 

Upon receiving the complaint letter this week, the abbot instructed monks to gently ring the bell to minimise its sound. The matter was a personal complaint by one resident, he said.

 

 The condominium had previously asked the temple to perform rites on its site, and the previous abbot had granted required approval for the building’s height prior to construction, as the building was well beyond the height of the temple.

 

The abbot said he couldn’t totally stop the bell-ringing, as it was a traditional practice during the Buddhist Lent period.

 

Sipbavorn said that although similar issues had been raised in other communities, residents accepted temple explanations about the need for monastic activities during the three-month Buddhist Lent period. During this period monks must strictly perform routines – including the bell-ringing to call all monks to attend morning prayer and take alms – to set a good example to newly-ordained members.

 

He said temples are required to abide by community noise control regulations and remain within legal decibel levels.

 

Phra Maha Praiwan Wannabut from Wat Soi Thong commented on social media that times and context had changed, and so the temple bell-ringing that was once so welcome in rural communities of old are perceived differently in urban communities.

 

The city lifestyle was different, he said, with temples and nearby people not interacting and thus lacking a sense of mutual dependence, he said.

 

“I sympathised with people’s wish to sleep fully after a day of hard work,” he said. “But this small matter over bell ringing can find a compromise and be solved among the parties.”

 

Actor Karoonphol Thiensuwan, who lives at the condominium in question but was not the complaint lodger, commented that he heard the bell ringing daily but the volume was not similar to someone shouting nearby. The temple also used a sound system during occasional ordination events, he noted.

 

It was understandable that residents paying the high property price might want privacy and found the bell ringing sound unacceptable, he said. “But did you forget that the temple existed before you moved in the area?” he asked.

 

“The temple was here first, so we must understand the monks’ activities. You choose to stay near a temple, so you have to understand they must perform morning and evening prayers daily. The bell ringing is for no more than two minutes.

 

“We can solve the problem ourselves, such as by installing soundproof glass windows. People can eventually get used to anything, so it may disturb your sleep at first but you will get used to it. It shouldn’t get to the point of moving the temple.”

 

Srisuwan Janya, secretary-general of the Thai Constitution Protection Association, commented that the temple had received the Wisungkhamsima monastic territory permission from the Crown, and so was within its right to perform all religious activities.

 

The complaint to the district office by the more recently built condominium that has led to warnings to the temple and “drama” could fall within the frame of violating the Criminal Code’s Article 206 for insulting a religion, punishable with a jail term of 2-7 years and/or a fine of between Bt2,000-Bt14,000, Srisuwan said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30355804

 

-- © Copyright The Nation http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30355804

[Denim]

Apparently , the Thai woman who owns the apartment complained to the police on behalf of the 

foreigner renting it from her. He is the only one complaining.

 

No link but heard it on the news. Whether true or not remains to be seen.

 

If true, the correct course of action would be to ignore the tradition and religion of Thailand and stop ringing the bell. Next , if all the monks at the temple were to graab and prostrate themselves in front of the foreigner and ask forgiveness for the inconvenience

caused , perhaps it will blow over.

 

Clearly a case of the temple not showing enough respect to the sensitivities of johnny come lately foreigners.

 

Edited October 4, 2018 by Denim

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please continue here:

Bangkok Temple Bell To Lower Toll Volume After Condo Complains

 

Fulll story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1060302-bangkok-temple-bell-to-lower-toll-volume-after-condo-complains/

 

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