Banned The Moonks From Speaking?

[ayakiawe]

This article is from The Star Online

(http://thestar.com.my)

URL:

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=...469535&sec=asia

__________________________________________________________________________

Monday July 19, 2004

Monks banned from criticising government

BANGKOK: Thailand's government has banned the

country's Buddhist monks from mentioning Prime

Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's administration on

state-radio airwaves, media reported yesterday.

The muzzle order came after a monk used a radio

sermon to indirectly criticise the ruling party's

plan to build a casino in the kingdom, Radio

Thailand officials told The Nation newspaper.

“Some monks are critical of the government, and

the powers that be are not happy with such

criticism,” a station official was quoted as saying.

Thai rights campaigners said the move – which

involves the establishment of a committee to

monitor all Buddhist sermons on state-radio – was going

too far.

“It is nonsense to gag monks. Even military

dictators refrain from meddling in religious

affairs,” Suriyasai Katasila, from The Campaign for

Popular Democracy, told the daily.

Thaksin has drawn fire in the past from media

advocacy groups who allege a government campaign is

under way to muzzle the local press through

financial coercion and intimidation.

This is the first time the country's

saffron-robed monks have been gagged by the current

administration. – AFP

[mbkudu]

The government is just going too far over the line with this.

[penzman]

I agree with the monks criticizing the plan to build a casino in the Kingdom. A casisno was built in my home town about 5 years ago. Sure the state does make huge profits but at what price??? Suicides in the casino's parking lot, washrooms, ruined and broken families. Video poker machines are everywhere. I witnessed people ruining themselves slowly, day by day where I worked. Ordinary Joes with ordinary jobs gambling their weekly income every week like they were Vegas kings. People I knew who did hard drugs spent less a week than many of these gamblers. Mr Moonface should be a bit more creative and have more respect towards the monks.

[Dutchy2]

I agree with the monks criticizing the plan to build a casino in the Kingdom. A casisno was built in my home town about 5 years ago. Sure the state does make huge profits but at what price??? Suicides in the casino's parking lot, washrooms, ruined and broken families. Video poker machines are everywhere. I witnessed people ruining themselves slowly, day by day where I worked. Ordinary Joes with ordinary jobs gambling their weekly income every week like they were Vegas kings. People I knew who did hard drugs spent less a week than many of these gamblers. Mr Moonface should be a bit more creative and have more respect towards the monks.

I guess the main point is the government meddling in religious affairs here. TRT doesn't accept any comments that do not approve of the current administration. It's not really a characteristic of a democratic country...

Dutchy

[Yohan]

I guess the main point is the government meddling in religious affairs here. TRT doesn't accept any comments that do not approve of the current administration. It's not really a characteristic of a democratic country...

Dutchy

There are very few countries in Eastern and Southeastern Asia, which you can consider as what you call a democratic country....free of any censorship...

Not much between Japan and Australia if you ask me....

There is censorship almost everywhere ... some countries a bit less, some a bit more....sad, but true....

All in all, Thailand belongs to the better side with some moderate censorship, I would say.... Officially nothing is allowed, but everybody talks about it.... somehow like that....

Johann

[Rinrada]

And that includes the topics and discussion subjects that common sense dictates that we cannot and should not talk about on this site....nudge nudge...wot did the romans do for uz apart from.....

Spoke to Khun Wife about...

what do you think will happen in Thailand when..............................................?

Who will............................................................................

..........................?

What is the real story behind the....................................................................?

Do all Thai people know that ..........................................................................?

When your dad meets his old school mate Ex Prime Minister..Khun..................Do they ever discuss..........................................NO.(her answer ) dont sa-spek-not polite.......and non of your business...you dont understand

[Dutchy2]

dont sa-spek-not polite.......and non of your business...you dont understand

I'm got mixed feelings about this one, on the one hand I disapprove, on the other hand it's often quite pleasant that the Thais mind their own business and let you mind your own business as well.

There's a lot here that farang don't understand, as long as the Thais can explain it to other Asians it's ok I suppose. It gets scary when only Thais would understand certain things... or should I post this in the jokes section?

[francois]

first : get control over radios ...

second: get control over newspapers

third: get control over televison

fourth: control and threat journalists

fith: try to control religion(s)

what next ?

the pathway to a real dictatorship!!

but Mr supreme leader is not a dictator, he said

good luck to you all

francois

[Tornado]

my thoughts - see Rinrada's avatar.

[KevinN]

first : get control over radios ...

second: get control over newspapers

third: get control over televison

fourth: control and threat journalists

fith: try to control religion(s)

what next ?

the pathway to a real dictatorship!!

but Mr supreme leader is not a dictator, he said

good luck to you all

francois

Burn the books.

And they already have control over guns.

So it kinda stacks up the way HITLER set it up too.

[Limbo]

I'm got mixed feelings about this one, on the one hand I disapprove, on the other hand it's often quite pleasant that the Thais mind their own business and let you mind your own business as well.

De government of Dr. Taksin wants to take the same decision once taken (among others) by the Dutch government:

To legalise and controle some forms of gambling and/or to set up state-owned casinos. And this to the benefit of Thailand and the Thai population.

This is a political decision, covering a wide range of factors involved. At that time the clergy in the Netherlands made the same mistake as the monks now do in Thailand: Suddenly they became politicians.

If representatives of the monkhood want to influence political decisions, they should go in politics.

Illegal gambling has been rampant for decades. Why do these monks start talking about it now the government finally is developing ways to controle gambling?

They should stay out of politics.

Why don't they have very serious talks with the men in their midst who are selling 'lucky numbers' to Thai citizens. And why don't they preach against illegal gambling?

To say that the Prime Minister of Thailand, Dr. Taksin, is trying to controle the Sangha is just as stupid as to say that the monks are influenced by dark forces who exploit illegal gambling.

Dr. Taksin has my blessings in this!

[Ajarn]

In principle, I think monks should stay clear of politics- seperation of church and State, and all that...

I don't know exactly what was discussed in the radio program, but I could see how, if they were truly criticising the government, the government might get annoyed...

Unfortunately, the issue is a very muddy one, for we have also recently seen the government get involved with the church by trying to place controls on who is running the show in place of the Supreme Patriarch, rumored to be suffering from Alxheimers disease. And there are many people outside the church causing problems by trying to use the church as a political tool...

I think there needs to be further redefining of the roles between the church and State. I do agree with the idea that monks who want to get involved in politics should leave the monkhood to persue their goals...

But, we are seeing continued erosion of the rights of people, and we see the government, as a policy it seems, dong everything in its power to muzzle opposition in any way possible, often in quite nefarious ways.

Thaksin , by closing all doors of communication for people, is setting Thailand up for even more social unrest than what is being signalled by the monks speaking out on political issues....At the very least, Thaksin should not be pitting himself in a power struggle with the church at this point. It will certainly lose him more votes than it will gain him, and his continued antagonizing just moves everyone closer to a point where the situation can get out of control....

My soapbox speech for the day...