Buddhist group goes after Buddha-Ultraman artist, as abbot calls on society to forgive and forget

[snoop1130]

Buddhist group goes after Buddha-Ultraman artist, as abbot calls on society to forgive and forget

By Supachai Phetchthewee,
Supachai Sinprasert,
Prasit Tangprasert
The Nation

 

 

The group “Chao Phut Phalang Phaendin” (Buddhists who are the power of the land) on Wednesday (September 11) filed a police complaint against a fourth-year university student for depicting Buddha as an Ultraman superhero in four paintings that were on display at a Nakhon Ratchasima shopping mall early this month.

 

The group, led by Jaroon Wannakasinanon and lawyer Pongnarin Amornrattana, filed the complaint with the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok and also demanded that national artist Chalermchai Kositpipat and well-known lawyer Decha Kittiwithiyanan be arrested for publicly supporting the student. They also wanted the girl's teacher as well as Terminal 21 Korat mall executive Papichaya Na Nakhonphanom, who organised the exhibition, be held for the charge. The group wants the five people charged for allegedly violating the Penal Code’s Article 206 (anything done to an object or place of worship of any group of persons in a manner that is likely to insult them).

 

Deputy inspector Pol Captain Jiraporn Wantho accepted the complaint and said she will present it to her superiors for further consideration.

 

Jaroon claimed the paintings depicting Buddha as a superhero insulted national heritage and feelings of Buddhists. Thailand has millions of foreign visitors every year, and they could perceive the religion in a negative light due to these paintings, he said.

 

He also said that national artist Chalermchai and lawyer Decha’s comments saying the paintings were just an artistic expression can be regarded as promoting such wrongdoing. He also said there is no way the student could have done this on her own, as it requires a lot of money to get the paintings displayed in a shopping mall.

 

Though the Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University (NRRU) student had apologised, Jaroon said it was too late because the “misdeed” has been done. The student, who said her aim was to depict Buddha as a superhero who can save mankind and bring peace to the world, had on September 7 tearfully apologised to Buddhist monks at a Nakhon Ratchasima temple.

 

Meanwhile, Phra Payom Kalayano, abbot of Wat Suan Kaew in Nonthaburi province, said these paintings did not destroy Buddhism as claimed and called on all sides to forgive the young artist. He said he believed that the student did not mean to disrespect Buddha, but just wanted to depict Buddha using pop-culture images that she is familiar with.

 

"The paintings wouldn’t have caused such a stir if they were only displayed at the university's studio, but because they came out in public, this issue has come up,” the abbot said, adding that there were many times the image of Buddha was depicted in different ways, like with red lips or sunglasses, and nothing has been done. Hence, he said, the student should be warned. “There’s no need for her to get arrested. She has already apologised publicly. Society should be more forgiving,” he said, adding that young people should think and do things in moderation.

Meanwhile, a Bangkok resident, going by the name “Pakorn Pornchiwangkul” on Facebook, has put the Buddha-Ultraman painting that he bought at the exhibition on auction online, and as of Wednesday afternoon, he had received bids for as much as Bt500,000.

 

Vowing not to destroy the painting as some people have suggested, the man said he will spend 90 per cent of the money earned from the auction on buying beds for a Nakhon Ratchasima hospital and will give the remainder to the student in question.

 

Samart Jabjone, NRRU’s assistant rector for public relations, meanwhile, said he was worried about the student and called on people to forgive her because she had no ill intention, and only expressed herself in a way that can be considered inappropriate. He added that she has apologised and there is no reason to go after her with legal action.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30376081

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-09-11

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[kotsak]

Matthew 23:13-39 springs in mind..

 

[mark131v]

Blimey you couldn't make it up!!

 

The country is going to hell in a hand basket and this is the most worrying thing for them to worry about, seems the vast majority of Thai's in any position of power are inept thin skinned little men/women with no sense of what is important in life

 

I completely get what the artist is trying to say and wonder whether the Lord Buddha would be trying to punish the artist for this heinous crime?

 

Seems like Buddhism has a very different message in LoS but at least the Abbot of Wat Suan Kaew is trying to rein the other numpties in and bring a bit of perspective and common sense to the debate....

Edited September 11, 2019 by mark131v

[mok199]

Robe Rage with a pinch of revenge...Try taking  the high road for a change ,and laugh it off ...

Edited September 11, 2019 by mok199

[Cadbury]

25 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

filed a police complaint against a fourth-year university student for depicting Buddha as an Ultraman superhero in four paintings

Shocking! Big deal.

Petty by comparison to the monk who was tossing off on a public bus in front of women. Did they file a police complaint then?

Double standards by the “Chao Phut Phalang Phaendin” (Buddhists who are the power of the land)

https://www.nationthailand.com/breakingnews/30340888

[drrobert]

I am in Nepal and fly Buddha Airlines. I wonder what would happen if they flew to Thailand!

[z42]

What about the abbots and guys in the Buddhism office who are corrupt as can be, or the rank and file monks who can be seen buying all manner of expensive and luxurious items each day across the country.

 

And surely any real Buddhist would not go out of their way for petty vengeance and point scoring.

 

What a sick joke Thailand's Buddhist establishment is. Truly galling.

[taichiplanet]

can't take on the entrenched powerful 'preachers' so they go after a soft target. Poor girl, feel sorry for all the anxiety she is probably suffering.

[thequietman]

Amazing how these 'Pretend' Buddhists show outrage when they break all the Buddhist precepts every single day on multiple occasions. LOL ????

[moe666]

I think this group of outraged folks have there priorities out of wack, take a look at all of the coruupt monks, for a start. Do something about the monks who smoke, do drugs and anyother crime one can concieve of. Going after a young girl for a piece of art is nothing but bullying

[londonthai]

that's because of those religious Zealots the population is turning their back on religion. They are damaging sangha.

This artist, and everybody else, can disrespect budha or any other religious leader. They are not beyond artistic expression or  beyond criticism. 

If police will take this case, thailand will turn into muslim model country, where all questioning of religion is met by state force.

 

Some 50% of temple budget is from the state (people taxes). These money is partially stolen by abbots and state officials. Figures are staggering 20%. Some 500 temples were implicated

Edited September 11, 2019 by londonthai

[bangrak]

'Islamist group goes after Mahomed-Ultraman artist...', hum, hadn't expected anything better from that intolerant bunch, but, hey, wait, wait, no, ...this is about a Buddhist group! Also nationalists, may I guess, friends of coupist armed forces, possibly, and supporters of the dictator himself, probably? Quo vadis, 'Thailand'...? 

[bangrak]

19 minutes ago, z42 said:

What about the abbots and guys in the Buddhism office who are corrupt as can be, or the rank and file monks who can be seen buying all manner of expensive and luxurious items each day across the country.

 

And surely any real Buddhist would not go out of their way for petty vengeance and point scoring.

 

What a sick joke Thailand's Buddhist establishment is. Truly galling.

My Thai wife is a true Buddhist, ...she avoids temples and monks as much as she can.

[ZeVonderBearz]

Looks amazing to be fair. Also no one has the slightest clue what Budda looked like. Dipictions of Buddha from some places, Afghanistan I believe, show Buddha with shoulder length hair and a beard, whilst in other places he's a bald fatty. For all we know this girl's dipiction of Budda is the most accurate ever created.

[oldhippy]

6 minutes ago, ZeVonderBearz said:

Looks amazing to be fair. Also no one has the slightest clue what Budda looked like. Dipictions of Buddha from some places, Afghanistan I believe, show Buddha with shoulder length hair and a beard, whilst in other places he's a bald fatty. For all we know this girl's dipiction of Budda is the most accurate ever created.

Maybe the Greeks could sue this girl for breach of intellectual property.

 

[edwinchester]

What a joyless vindictive self appointed bunch of creeps these people are. Perfect example of all that is wrong with organised faiths.

[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, kotsak said:

Matthew 23:13-39 springs in mind..

I always think this is funnier.

John 11:35: Jesus wept

 

[Chazar]

The  whole  Buddhist bunch of them should be gone after for promoting their bs,  biggest  bunch of  money grabbing hypocrites  out, forever  wasting  money on a  newer shinier temple  that the  gullible  flock to gawp at and finance , meanwhile sick and elderly  Thai  people dont have the hospitals that these monstrosities replace.

[Chazar]

51 minutes ago, bangrak said:

'Islamist group goes after Mahomed-Ultraman artist...', hum, hadn't expected anything better from that intolerant bunch, but, hey, wait, wait, no, ...this is about a Buddhist group! Also nationalists, may I guess, friends of coupist armed forces, possibly, and supporters of the dictator himself, probably? Quo vadis, 'Thailand'...? 

Police ,Armed  forces, Temple.....no difference in any of them, corrupt  to the core.

[DrTuner]

'Thailand has millions of foreign visitors every year, and they could perceive the religion in a negative light due to these paintings, he said.'

 

Any religion that goes fundamental will be perceived in a very negative light. Seems Thai buddhism is going that way. Buddha would probably kick their <deleted> for idiocy.

[Reigntax]

5 hours ago, bangrak said:

My Thai wife is a true Buddhist, ...she avoids temples and monks as much as she can.

What about your other wife?. The non Thai one ?

[RichardColeman]

I'll tell you the real reason for the upset - Ultraman is Japanese - not Thai. Bit like putting Nicola Sturgeons head on Queen Vic !

 

On a side note I wonder if I'm the only one on TV that collects Ultra Monsters  (ex wives not included)

[webfact]

'Ultraman Buddha' art in Thailand prompts police complaint

By Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat

 

Paintings of Japanese superhero "Ultraman" with Thai-style Buddha's head are seen in Bangkok, Thailand September 11, 2019. REUTERS/Pakorn Porncheewangkul

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A group of Buddhist hardliners in Thailand filed a police complaint against a young female artist on Wednesday over paintings that depict images of the Buddha as the 1960s Japanese superhero character Ultraman.

 

The complaint over four paintings, displayed last week at a shopping mall in northeastern Thailand, highlights the emboldenment of ultra-conservative Buddhist groups that seek to go farther than establishment religious authorities in combating perceived threats to their faith.

 

Buddhism, followed by more than 90% of Thais, is one of three traditional pillars of Thai society, alongside the nation and the monarchy.

 

The painting was removed from the exhibition last week and the artist - a fourth-year university student whose name has been withheld for her safety - had to publicly apologise to northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima province's chief monk in front of the provincial governor.

In the past, that might have been the end of the incident.

 

But on Wednesday, the hardline group Buddhist Power of the Land said it had filed a police complaint against the artist and four others involved in the exhibition, on the grounds that comparing the Buddha to an action figure was disrespectful.

 

The group wants the five prosecuted under a law against insulting religion that allows imprisonment of up to seven years.

 

"The paintings dishonoured and offended Buddhists and harmed a national treasure," Buddhist Power of the Land representative Charoon Wonnakasinanone told Reuters.

 

The group also wants the paintings destroyed.

 

Under Thai law, police must investigate a complaint and recommend whether there are grounds to pursue criminal charges, a process that usually takes at least seven days.

 

ESTABLISHMENT VS HARDLINERS

Thailand's official Buddhist authorities oppose criminal charges against the artist.

 

Pongporn Pramsaneh, director of the Office of National Buddhism, told Reuters he considered the matter closed after the public apology.

 

"Whoever want to take legal action, we will not get involved," Pongporn said.

 

Few have been jailed under the law, though there have been some cases of fines, including against tourists with Buddha tattoos or souvenir statues.

 

The artist could not be reached for comment, and the shopping centre that held the exhibition declined to comment.

 

The paintings were all sold last week, and one of the buyers has decided to auction it for charity. Bids had reached 500,000 baht ($84,819) as of Wednesday, with the proceeds due to be donated to a hospital.

 

"The paintings have shown the differences in this country between conservative and progressive Buddhists who based their belief on Buddhist teachings rather than attachment to objects or rituals," said Pakorn Porncheewangkul, the owner of the painting being auctioned.

 

CHANGING VIEWS

Surapot Taweesak, a Buddhist scholar, said the controversy showed the reforms of Buddhism that took place under the previous military government, which aimed to clean up temples and the monkhood stalked by scandals, have failed.

 

On the one hand, some Thais feel that the religion is less relevant to their daily lives. And at the same time, a reactionary hardline movement has arisen that sees Buddhism as under threat and in need of defence the religious establishment is not providing.

 

The trend also sparked a Buddhist nationalist party, Pandin Dharma Party, modelled after similar political movements in Myanmar and Sri Lanka, which contested July's elections under the slogan of Buddhism under threat.

 

"In the Ultraman case, the law is dragged in instead of a normal debate," Surapot said. "This case reflects the insecurity felt by many monks and followers about their religion."

 

(Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Alex Richardson)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-09-12

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[Estrada]

They did not complain when one temple had a statue of David Beckham next to Buddha.

[PatOngo]

"Let he without sin cast the first stone!"...……..Any takers?

[wtfracing]

The artist should turn the tables on this group and go after them with the draconian defamation law, I'm sure that would please them 

[holy cow cm]

These people and their taking offense at anything and everything. I would love to say "Jes** ******", but maybe Holy Moly is best!

I personally think it is cute and the artist had only great intentions.

[Emdog]

"In form is emptiness and emptiness form"

This world is illusion, Maya.

"Suffering comes from attachment" and that includes attachment to Buddha and images, etc.

Those "defenders of the faith" don't know even the most basic "truths" of Buddhism.

[FarFlungFalang]

13 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

"Let he without sin cast the first stone!"...……..Any takers?

I might be in with a chance if it was "he who has most sin cast the first stone"

Edited September 12, 2019 by FarFlungFalang
Correction

[Estrada]

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

I'll tell you the real reason for the upset - Ultraman is Japanese - not Thai. Bit like putting Nicola Sturgeons head on Queen Vic !

 

On a side note I wonder if I'm the only one on TV that collects Ultra Monsters  (ex wives not included)

You are wrong. My friend Sompote Saenduenchai who founded Chaiyo Productions (also called Tsuburaya Chaiyo Co Ltd) based in Thailand was jointly responsible for creating Ultraman. I have known him since 1994 in the early days of Ultraman. The rights to everything Ultraman outside Japanese territories was supposedly given by his partner Eiji Tsuburaya, to Chaiyo Thailand. However there have been ongoing court battles between Tsuburaya and Chaiyo over individual Ultraman characters over the years with damages awarded to both sides. Ultraman has always been predominately Thai, with Thai artist and animators.