Supreme Patriarch spared asset rule

By NATTHAPAT PROMKAEW 
THE NATION 

 

Supreme Patriarch

 

NACC sees no case for other public officials to be exempted.
 

ONLY THE Supreme Patriarch will be exempted among high-level officials in the public sector from making an asset declaration, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has decided.

 

Other high-level monks, who also sit on university councils, will not be given the exemption, and neither will current lay members of university councils. Many of them have threatened to resign if they were subject to the NACC’s new requirement.

 

“What we can do for them now is to consider postponing the day the new rule becomes effective,” NACC president Pol General Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit said yesterday.

 

“But we can’t exempt them from asset declaration.” Promulgated in the Royal Gazette on November 1, the new requirement is scheduled to take effect on December 2. However, following a discussion between the NACC and the government’s legal expert, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, the date when the new rule takes effect could be delayed. 

 

Wissanu stepped in after universities protested loudly. Watcharapol yesterday hinted that the new rule might be postponed by 30 days. 

“This way, current council members will have more time to reflect and prepare themselves.

 

Those who stay can prepare asset declarations. For those who will quit, they can do so. Affected university councils should have enough time to fill vacant seats,” he said. 

The new rule expands the categories of persons required to declare their assets to the NACC. 

 

Chairs and members of state university councils, top executives of public organisations and state funds, along with chiefs of the Armed Forces including the police forces are among those who will have to declare their assets.

 

So far, the loudest protests have come from the higher-education sector. Because the current Supreme Patriarch chairs the Mahamakut Buddhist University’s council, there are widespread suggestions that he too ought to be required to declare his assets to the NACC in line with other chairpersons and members of university councils. 

 

However, Watcharapol yesterday made it clear that the NACC had exempted the Supreme Patriarch as he was chosen and appointed by the King.

 

“For others, we can’t exempt them because the current charter requires that they submit asset declarations to the NACC,” Watcharapol emphasised. 

 

Education Minister Teerakiat Jareonsettasin, who initially urged university-council members to hold back their resignations, yesterday said all university councils and their members must comply with the law. 

 

Thammasat University rector Assoc Professor Gasinee Witoonchart said five or six of her university’s council members had expressed the wish to leave. 

 

“Several to-be council members, whose tenure will soon begin, have already expressed reluctance to work for our council now,” she said. 

 

The Coordinating Centre for Public Higher Education (CHES) has, meanwhile, stepped up its calls for university council members to not seek an exemption. 

 

Faculty Senate of Thailand president Asst Professor Wiriya Sirichanon said university councils had the power to approve budgets, including the budget used for investments. 

 

“So, we can’t say university councils are free of interests. Policy-based corruption may happen,” he said. “Can’t you see some persons take turn being the chairpersons of university councils?”

 

Chaweewan Meekleub, an official at Khon Kaen University, said more than 700 legal cases had been filed against the institution’s council since last year. 

 

“There are allegations surrounding the investments by the chairperson of the council,” she said. 

 

Chaweewan said if people were willing to pay taxes and politicians were willing to declare their assets, those sitting on university councils should also not shy away from the requirement to declare their assets.

 

“If you oppose this rule, it may be a reflection that your intention is not pure,” she said. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30358417

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-13

*hey Somchai, you see that can* 
*yes*
*it's can of worms - wanna open it?*

*yes*

*OH NO YOU DIDN'T - snapping fingers*
 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

“But we can’t exempt them from asset declaration.” Promulgated in the Royal Gazette on November 1, the new requirement is scheduled to take effect on December 2. However, following a discussion between the NACC and the government’s legal expert, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, the date when the new rule takes effect could be delayed. 

i see; no exceptions, except one; and the date is firm except it isn't

Same old, if they haven't got the brains to hide ill gotten gains they should not be be in lucrative positions.

Give the positions to those who know how to circumvent the system like those in uniform.

Edited November 12, 20187 yr by Thailand

Of course he is.

Whatever happened to the romantic ideals of the humble monk not pursuing worldly goods and motives of wealth and profit? 

 

 

Like a diplomatic immunity. 

First among equals.

"ONLY THE Supreme Patriarch will be exempted among high-level officials in the public sector from making an asset declaration,"

Have yet to hear a good reason as to why?

Do monks take a vow of poverty and turning back on material gain?

Ah, that must be the reason; he promised... okay...

The Supreme Patriarch can do his asset declaration within seconds, as I assume he barely holds possessions...

Because isn't that part of Buddhism? And as the highest leader of Buddhism, you have to lead by example.

 

Excluding him from asset declaration is as nonsensical as requiring everybody in government to declare except for the self-appointed leader who took power by gunpoint... oh wait...

3 hours ago, webfact said:

However, Watcharapol yesterday made it clear that the NACC had exempted the Supreme Patriarch as he was chosen and appointed by the King.

unable to comment in the land of the  free

2 hours ago, zzaa09 said:

Of course he is.

Whatever happened to the romantic ideals of the humble monk not pursuing worldly goods and motives of wealth and profit? 

 

 

Thai Buddhism is special. 

Bad plan, others might want the same and this opens the door for corruption. Are they worried people will see how rich monks are and stop giving money ?

4 hours ago, webfact said:

ONLY THE Supreme Patriarch will be exempted among high-level officials in the public sector from making an asset declaration,

One rule for some, and another rule for others.

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

“What we can do for them now is to consider postponing the day the new rule becomes effective,”

All we can do is give them some more time to hide their ill gotten assets.

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

“Can’t you see some persons take turn being the chairpersons of university councils?”

Of course, everyone wants their turn at the trough, and the government is giving them the opportunity.

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

“If you oppose this rule, it may be a reflection that your intention is not pure,” she said. 

But anyway, we will give you a chance by delaying the new rules indefinitely, because since we ourselves are corrupt to the core, we understand your needs

4 hours ago, webfact said:

ONLY THE Supreme Patriarch will be exempted

Other high-level monks, who also sit on university councils, will not be given the exemption

Now the other monks have the opportunity to park their assets with the Supreme Patriarch under his new "Supreme Exemption Scheme"

 

"It's good to be Supreme" -Mel Brooks

I already hear the oranges chanting in the temples: "Saved by the bell..."

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“This way, current council members will have more time to reflect and prepare themselves.

???? 'prepare' themselves. 

Aren't Buddhist monks supposed to hold no possessions at all? (with obvious exceptions i.e. a robe, food in stomach)

If I was a respected monk I would declare my entire worldly possessions (of nothing) out of sheer integrity. 

Edited November 13, 20187 yr by MaiDong

3 hours ago, Emster23 said:

Do monks take a vow of poverty and turning back on material gain?

One of the first alarming things I learned after moving here in 2005 was that Thai Buddhism has nothing to do with real "vow of poverty" Buddhism.  Living in rural Isaan I began to notice that at every event where monks appeared there were always mysterious white envelopes quietly given to each monk who participated.  This included any public/private/family ceremony.  Later I learned that the white envelopes were $$$ payments to those monks.  Of course my initial response to that realization that Thai monks must be paid for their services was (and still is) WHAT THE F<expletive deleted>K?! ????

 

T.I.T. folks

Edited November 13, 20187 yr by Jimbo in Thailand

Pardon me for being confused. 30 years ago I was told that all worldly goods were foresaken when a man becam a monk and entered a temple, so why are there ANY assets to declare?

 

With just about every monk I see carrying a smartphone, times have certainly changed.... Does Buddha have a phone and a direct line now one wonders? ????

2 hours ago, fullcave said:

Thai Buddhism is special. 

Oh! it's very special from top to bottom - unfortunately Thai Buddhism is as close to Buddhism as Christianity is to paganism, but then of course sometimes that's impossible to differentiate.  

But doesn't changer the question on the asset rule- WHY?

Edited November 13, 20187 yr by Artisi

1 hour ago, MaiDong said:

Aren't Buddhist monks supposed to hold no possessions at all? (with obvious exceptions i.e. a robe, food in stomach)

If I was a respected monk I would declare my entire worldly possessions (of nothing) out of sheer integrity. 

But you're not and that is the difference.

Now the head guy just might be straight, honest etc. and if so, he should out of integrity declare he has no assets. 

No worries here - all OK. The men of the cloth are divine and have no earthly assets so there is nothing to declare except a clean conscious, a clean soul and an eternal glow of wisdom.

I and the Poor thai's always thought the Monks only owned a 200B Orange bed Sheet.....Silly US.......

12 hours ago, zzaa09 said:

Whatever happened to the romantic ideals of the humble monk not pursuing worldly goods and motives of wealth and profit? 

It's pretty hard to keep them when your only source of information isn't the temple anymore. 

15 hours ago, webfact said:

Supreme Patriarch spared asset rule

Bit like the Pope being spared the asset rule...... if there was one in Vatican City.

13 hours ago, robblok said:

Bad plan, others might want the same and this opens the door for corruption. Are they worried people will see how rich monks are and stop giving money ?

I was a monk for 7 years in Lopburi.  I never knew any monk to have money in his pocket, except for the Abbot.  Of course, everyone wanted to be the Abbot.  I was always telling the other monks, we should go join that Jet setting monk, LOL.  

10 hours ago, Artisi said:

But you're not and that is the difference.

Now the head guy just might be straight, honest etc. and if so, he should out of integrity declare he has no assets. 

Am I missing something? Wasn't that my point? 

23 minutes ago, khaowong1 said:

I was a monk for 7 years in Lopburi.  I never knew any monk to have money in his pocket, except for the Abbot.  Of course, everyone wanted to be the Abbot.  I was always telling the other monks, we should go join that Jet setting monk, LOL.  

Folks need to stop offering cash "donations" at each and every tamboon, blessing, etc....

Extending the usual food and the sundries is quite acceptable, as tradition calls. 

 

Don't know where this cash giving was instigated......a generation or two ago? 

The basic ideal that monks don't require spare cash has long passed. 

 

....and one wonders why the growing demand for monkhood at any Wat is so high these days.

It's become an occupation and income deriving vehicle, less a spiritual calling. 

Edited November 13, 20187 yr by zzaa09

18 hours ago, fullcave said:

Thai Buddhism is special. 

yeah "special needs"

8 hours ago, MaiDong said:

Am I missing something? Wasn't that my point? 

Probably missing my agreement with your concept.