Fine Arts Department frets over ‘illegal’ gold painting of numerous temples

By PHATARAWADEE PHATARANAWIK 
THE NATION 

 

File photo

 

IMMEDIATE ACTION is required to renovate the hundreds of historical temples painted in gold across the Kingdom, the Fine Arts Department said early this week.
 

“Unauthorised painting of ancient buildings and national treasures violates the law. We will require complicated technology and conservation experts to remove the paint and return the monuments back to their original glory,” Saneh Mahaphol, director of the Department of Conservation Science at the Fine Arts Department told The Nation.

 

Over the past few years, a group of Buddhists called “Puen Ruam Thang” (“Companion”) took it upon themselves to “renovate” historical temples by covering daubing gold paint provided by the TOA Paint Company on their faded-exteriors. 

 

However, this triggered a controversy last week after a report on historical temples being repainted raised an uproar on social media, prompting the Culture Ministry’s Fine Arts Department to issue a warning last Wednesday. Consent from the Fine Arts Department is required before any historical monuments or sites in Thailand can be refurbished. 

 

“All renovation plans have to be approved by the department first to be legal,” Anandha Chuchoti, the department’s director-general said.

Anandha has assigned chief archaeologists to check historical sites across the Kingdom and stop any unauthorised renovation work. 

The volunteers have, so far, painted Wat Photaram and Wat Lao Thong in Suphan Buri, Wat Samosorn in Chai Nat, Wat Lai in Lop Buri and Wat Paknam Joro in Chachoengsao. 

 

However, this controversy doesn’t seem to have dampened the group’s enthusiasm. 

 

Puen Ruam Thang, led by veteran singer Suthep Prayoonpitak, told media last week that it had “renovated” more than 200 temples – including those registered as monuments – across the Kingdom and plan to continue doing so. 

 

“After seeing the state of these old temples, we decided to donate money as well as our time and energy to bring back their beauty. We believe our ‘merit making’ will help preserve Buddhism as well as promote temples as tourism destinations for younger generations. We hope to continue making merit,” he said, adding that the painting had been done with the permission of the abbots. He also said that the group would be happy to discuss the issue with the Fine Arts Department.

 

TOA has also posted on Facebook that it will cooperate with all related agencies to solve this problem. The company claims its new acrylic paint, “TOA Gold”, contains high-quality gold pigment and it is being promoted with the motto “The Gold Colour of Faith: Preserve Temples for the Community”.

 

Meanwhile, Saneh admitted that the Fine Arts Department only has 20 experts and limited funds for the conservation of thousands of national monuments across the Kingdom. 

 

“Painting can be done in a few weeks, while the cleaning process can take a few months,” he lamented. 

 

Last year, Saneh and his team successfully cleaned the 400-year-old Buddha statue, “Luang Por Dam”, at Ayutthaya’s Wat Korokoso. Using conservation technology, the team spent a week removing two-layers of paint to reveal the lacquer and gold leaf on the statue. 

 

“Painting old monuments will add moisture and cause damage. If we leave the paint to dry for a long time, the process of removing it will become too complicated. Professional conservators will need specific techniques depending on the age of the delicate antiques to clean them properly. This work cannot be done by just anybody,” Saneh added. 

 

Meanwhile, Asst Professor Pipat Krajaejun of Thammasat University’s Liberal Arts Faculty said this conflict reflects a misunderstanding on the correct way of preserving our historical heritage. 

 

“In capitalism, gold represents wealth, while in Buddhism it symbolises faith, so the group believes painting temples in gold is a way of making merit. 

 

“This has become a trend because temples are becoming tourist destinations. Sadly, we are spending too much time working on Buddhist monuments, instead of practising and deeply understanding the core of Buddhism,” Pipat said. 

 

However, both Saneh and Pipat agreed that educating people on correct renovation methods could help solve this problem sustainably. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30357705

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-02

Sadly, I think this painting of temples a gold colour is quite indicative of Thailand and Thai Buddhism.

 

"...Over the past few years, a group of Buddhists called “Puen Ruam Thang” (“Companion”) took it upon themselves to “renovate” historical temples by covering daubing gold paint provided by the TOA Paint Company on their faded-exteriors..." 

 

The veneer of wealth, indicated by the choice of colour, fits into what I see as a form of Buddhism with a weird and unhealthy fascination with money. Further, what better commercial opportunity for TOA than to be associated with the temples?

 

"...TOA has also posted on Facebook that it will cooperate with all related agencies to solve this problem. The company claims its new acrylic paint, “TOA Gold”, contains high-quality gold pigment and it is being promoted with the motto “The Gold Colour of Faith: Preserve Temples for the Community”..."

 

Yes, TOA, 'The Company of Faith' (slogan trademarked).

 

Hmm...

 

"...This has become a trend because temples are becoming tourist destinations. Sadly, we are spending too much time working on Buddhist monuments, instead of practising and deeply understanding the core of Buddhism..."

 

Double Hmm...

 

Somehow, I don't think that the painting of temples with the assistance of a private company who advertises it as a means of luring tourists to the temple to make a donation is what Lord Buddha was going for...

 

Triple Hmm...

 

 

Edited November 1, 20187 yr by Samui Bodoh

 One problem with Thailand's historic sites is that they are not very well preserved at all. Many are left to fall apart as it is considered to be the "natural" way of things. They will preserve the area around the site (maybe) and then let the structures fall apart.

Of course, it's not easy when you have so many ancient structures, spread all over the country, and so few people to try and conserve/protect them. I have visited 18+ ancient sites from Sakon Nakhon to Sisaket to Sa Kaeo to Kamphaeng Phet to Petchabun and points in between.
 

Many of the sites are quite nice. Phimai, Phanom Rung, Mueang Tam, Sadok Kok Thom (below), the sites in Kamphaeng Pet. In some cases they've "reconstructed" pieces to try and make the structure whole but in some places they didn't do a great job of it. (Many were reconstructed decades ago by people that I think were more "explorer" and less "archaeologist". Many sites had collapsed almost totally (either by intent or by nature) and the people doing the reconstruction didn't have the tech we have today. It looks, in many places, like they just tried to find stones that fit the holes rather than fit the original design.

 

         

 

Other places, lesser known and not as "sexy" (i.e. not in touristy areas) are often left to naturally fade away. I'm sure the Ministry probably isn't even aware of some of the sites.

This is an old site in Sa Kaeo province I found. I saw the "baray" on the map (Google) and when I looked at the Sat image I thought I could see what might be the remains of a temple. Of course Google shows a road near it - turned out to be a trail used by farmers and cows. Really didn't want to ride the Harley down it but it looked so close and nice on Google !

I had named the site Prasat Nong Mak Mun as there was no indication anywhere of what the original name may have been and that was the tambon it was in. The name has been changed to Prasat Nong Ta Bun by someone else (with no explanation why). Maybe they have better information than me (not hard, as I had no information at all) !


I bet if I took a close look at the nearby Buddhist temple I'd find a lot of the missing stones from this site.

 

The site below (Prasat Khao Lon) is known (somewhat), also in Sa Kaeo province. The location was screwed on Google (I fixed it - after I'd spent an hour running around a Buddhist temple complex 3.5 kms away from where this place actually was.)
 

Oddly enough - on Google there were images of this place taken about 6 months before I was there. There used to be a platform in front of the main entrance and a large Buddha statute. When I was there, all of that was gone without a trace.


A couple of sites are nothing more than small "prangs" that haven't yet collapsed. Other sites are now Buddhist temples/shrines. No doubt "back in the day" after the Khmer empire collapsed and Buddhism became the main religion, a lot of the old "Khmer" temples were abandoned or were torn down and Buddhist temples erected in their place (makes it easier for your followers to find you - back in the days before road signs and Google Maps) !

Like this site in Khon Kaen province. All that is left of the original Khmer site is the laterite stone base. 


Running around and slapping a coat of paint on an ancient temple or monument is not going to preserve it and may actually cover up critical structural damage. Not to mention that some of those ancient monuments are in poor condition to begin with, it could also be dangerous - to the structure and the people painting it.

That group would perhaps be better advised to work with the Ministry to determine which sites/temples - if any - would be better places to paint. From the looks at a lot of "not so old" temples around the country - more than a few could use a little "sprucing up".

Painting temples gold. Just Thais channeling their inner Trump.  

1 hour ago, Ulic said:

Painting temples gold. Just Thais channeling their inner Trump.  

In that case they'd be painting them Orange - with fake hair on top !