Monk Was Throwing Blood At Soldiers In Chiang Mai

[invex]

Just watched channel 3 this morning and look.....

The head-monk from SriBunruang Temple (Chiang Mai) was throwing blood (collected from the red shirts) at the soldiers at Kavila military base near the Ping River.

This is not real and can happen in Thailand only.

Bah. I hope this will make the world news.

[davee58]

That is beyond sick, is it really true?

I once read the "Phra Farang: An English Monk in Thailand" book, and seem to remember his tale about one of the other monks castrating a dog with bricks. But that monk was a bit of a retard.

I cannot believe that the head monk would do this.

No respect man, no respect.

[Gonzo the Face]

We also saw that last night on TV.

There is just something about this that flies into the face of decency.

I don't know what the monk book of rules sez about this type of action, but it leaves me with a distaste for this particular monk and somehow demeans a good comfortable feeling that I have had with regard to other monks. I just feel it takes a lot away from what they teach and stand for......

I do not know if there is such a thing as defrocking in the monkhood, but surely there should be some disciplinary action taken toward this monk by the hierachy.

Disgraceful

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Out of interest, did TV actually show it happen? If not, what is the source? I only ask because we've seen the usual media make a huge fuss over the 'blood splashing' in Bangkok which turned out to be not much more than a black magic / voodoo type rite.

[Gonzo the Face]

It was on last night about 10PM or so....Ms Face was watching and listening and poking me to wake up and look.

I did not see the blood splash out but did see some protesting scenes.

It was primarily a Thai talking head program involving 2 or 3 Thais discussing what had happened.

The jist as I got it was that a head monk went down with a group to the Kwila Area and was about to splash a spirit house there used by the soldiers for their dailies.... A soldier asked the monk to please not throw it on the spirit house ..... the monk told him to get out of the way ...... the soldier asked again not too, so the monk threw the blood on the soldier.

Now please understand that this is as told to me [me in a sleepy state] and is an individual translation....

[Yunnie]

Wow if this really happened, seriously... these people are out of control.

I cant think of a worser offence to any SE Asian culture then that. And the fact that A MONK was going to throw deface a Saan Phra Phuum (spirit house). Trying to throw blood on the spirit house has nothing to do with protesting the government and EVERYTHING to do with insulting not only the Thai (and other Asians culture), but the people that believe/live in the culture.

That is very Taboo with how superstitious SE Asian people are about spirits/ ghost that live around them. I have a feeling those spirits are very upset and will probably haunt that monk for the rest of his left and give him bad luck. Well, one can only hope.

I'm not surprised the soldier tried to stop it. I hope he doesnt get anything from the blood, cause you never know if its clean or not. I dont understand why they would target a military base/ soldiers. They, like everyone else, are just doing their job. How can you fault someone regular person for just doing what they are told (which doesnt go against anything of a moral issue). Most of the soldiers are either less privilege males or those serving their mandatory military service.

That poor soldier. I hope he's okay. .

I seriously wish these people would get a life and THINK before they act and understand the consequence that might come from their actions. Learn some common sense! Most of these people are Buddhist. Did they think they can ignore some precepts and cannon just cause they feel like they been cheated and need to retaliate? It completely goes again Buddhist teachings! These people need to spend more time at the Wat and actually listen. ;

hel_l, I was raised in the west and barely know my religion, except for the main precepts and canons, and I know better then to do something like that.

I'm so embarressed that these crazy people are Thai... and are part of the Tai ethnic group.

I dunno... I'm just ranting because I'm so sick of the whole thing. reminds me why I left the US for a few months. Red shirts remind of Right wing conservative crazies. Although I think they are too chicken to use their own blood like Thai Red Shirts. lol

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Let me try and fix the original premise, and then agree with you:

Wow if this really happened, seriously... these people are one person may be out of control.

I dont understand why they would target a military base/ soldiers. They, like everyone else, are just doing their job

..their job, specifically: keeping the military-bureaucratic estasblishment in power, and allowing them to manage, control and/or stifle the processes and institutions that pass for democracy in this country?

Red shirts remind of Right wing conservative crazies.

That's interesting, because if anything it's a very socialist leaning agenda of empowerment of the poor rural masses. Not what you'd associate with right-wing crazies. I mean it's all out there on the internet, straight from the horses mouth; you DO inform yourself beyond what you're being fed by the local press right?

(PAD on the other hand, ok, those guys come pretty close to right-wing crazies. The Nation even hinted at Maoist tendencies on the part of the Red Shirts. (Not that I agree with any syllable in that publication on any given day, but still.)

Edited March 17, 2010 by WinnieTheKhwai

[chiangmaiexpat]

The incident is indeed of very poor taste. But we already expected that. I mean, last year the reds were wearing skulls and devil costumes. The question is how low can you go? Since the offender was a monk, disrobing would seem appropriate. It is clearly a violation of the eight precepts.

Cheers, CMX

[Mapguy]

The incident is indeed of very poor taste. But we already expected that. I mean, last year the reds were wearing skulls and devil costumes. The question is how low can you go? Since the offender was a monk, disrobing would seem appropriate. It is clearly a violation of the eight precepts.

Cheers, CMX

Here as an interpretation that appeared in Tom Fuller's New York Times article of 16 March 2010 regarding events in Bangkok:

“To make a monk bleed is one of the worst sins,” said Phol Chanthasaro, a monk in orange robes who stood at the gates of Government House. “I want the government to understand right and wrong.”

[OxfordWill]

somehow demeans a good comfortable feeling that I have had with regard to other monks.

I lost this feeling mere months into experiencing monks in Thailand and what I see them getting up to!

[invex]

The monk throw blood over 3 soldiers and you see it clearly on TV. At least one glass per soldier.

Hope they will show it again.

This evening the TV news was that the police was questioning the monk.

[Yunnie]

The incident is indeed of very poor taste. But we already expected that. I mean, last year the reds were wearing skulls and devil costumes. The question is how low can you go? Since the offender was a monk, disrobing would seem appropriate. It is clearly a violation of the eight precepts.

Cheers, CMX

Here as an interpretation that appeared in Tom Fuller's New York Times article of 16 March 2010 regarding events in Bangkok:

“To make a monk bleed is one of the worst sins,” said Phol Chanthasaro, a monk in orange robes who stood at the gates of Government House. “I want the government to understand right and wrong.”

But.. the Government didnt force them bleed. They freely choose to give their blood to the Red shirts blood collecting. Theres a big difference So its no sin for the Government. The sin lies with those that have lied and brainwash the masses, and whoever's crazy, stupid idea it was to collect blood.

@ Winnie -

I wasnt comparing their political ideologies. I was comparing their methods and word twisting. Along with the personal attacks and "blind faith" without understanding issues at hand from all sides and crazy leaders. ;p

And no, I dont listen to local media. I dont have a TV and I'm too lazy to fight the other students in the dorm for it. Heaven forbid if I took the TV and deprive the PS3 kid of his games. I can see the fit he'll have already....

Whatever I hear is from Western media sources which I'm very cynical of anyways. Plus Thai news cast and News papers are difficult for me to listen and read. I dont have enough advance vocab to understand the jist of the story, and they give me headaches.

[richard10365]

Not knowing if HIV is in the blood, it could be considered a threat against the soldiers life. It doesn't seem like a smart thing to do when the person you are throwing blood at might have a loaded M16.

[ginnyten]

I am disgusted! This is so sad and a sacriledge. My Thai husband is appalled!

[ginnyten]

I am disgusted! This is so sad and a sacriledge. My Thai husband is appalled!

[neverdie]

Let me try and fix the original premise, and then agree with you:

Wow if this really happened, seriously... these people are one person may be out of control.

Ahhh WTK, ur a classic, thanks for the laugh.

[neverdie]

I am disgusted! This is so sad and a sacriledge. My Thai husband is appalled!

We heard you the first time.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Hi Yunnie, I appreciate the comments; will respond in more detail tomorrow.

WTK.

[millwall_fan]

Let me try and fix the original premise, and then agree with you:

Wow if this really happened, seriously... these people are one person may be out of control.

I dont understand why they would target a military base/ soldiers. They, like everyone else, are just doing their job

..their job, specifically: keeping the military-bureaucratic estasblishment in power, and allowing them to manage, control and/or stifle the processes and institutions that pass for democracy in this country?

Red shirts remind of Right wing conservative crazies.

That's interesting, because if anything it's a very socialist leaning agenda of empowerment of the poor rural masses. Not what you'd associate with right-wing crazies. I mean it's all out there on the internet, straight from the horses mouth; you DO inform yourself beyond what you're being fed by the local press right?

(PAD on the other hand, ok, those guys come pretty close to right-wing crazies. The Nation even hinted at Maoist tendencies on the part of the Red Shirts. (Not that I agree with any syllable in that publication on any given day, but still.)

Well done Whinnie! At least someone understands the situation

[chiangmaiexpat]

Well done Whinnie! At least someone understands the situation

I disagree. The terms "left-wing" vs. "right-wing" are out of context. They don't have anything to do with the situation in Thailand. This is a class conflict between the new middle class and the peasants and workers, but the historical circumstances are quite different from Europe. Applying these terms only adds to the confusion.

Cheers, Thomas

[endure]

Let me try and fix the original premise, and then agree with you:

Wow if this really happened, seriously... these people are one person may be out of control.

I dont understand why they would target a military base/ soldiers. They, like everyone else, are just doing their job

..their job, specifically: keeping the military-bureaucratic estasblishment in power, and allowing them to manage, control and/or stifle the processes and institutions that pass for democracy in this country?

The majority of Thai troops are conscripts. They have no choice as to whether they serve in the Armed Forces and 'THEIR JOB' is to do as they're told just like soldiers all over the world.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

^ Agreed. Also agree that a Western left-right scale doesn't really apply, but still wanted to at least refute that the red shirts are in any way similar to Western right-wing crazies. (Some of them clearly are crazies of one kind or another though, i find no shortage of crazies on any side. )

[bungalowbill]

Out of interest, did TV actually show it happen? If not, what is the source? I only ask because we've seen the usual media make a huge fuss over the 'blood splashing' in Bangkok which turned out to be not much more than a black magic / voodoo type rite.

I saw it today on the Chiang Mai news. it looked like the monk was trying to splash some blood on a statue and the militray police tried to stop him so he splashed a lot of blood on them and they backed off and he continued his mission of splashing the blood all around..

[orang37]

Sawasdee Khrup, TV CM Friends,

A disturbing, and morbidly fascinating, incident.

The choice of a "san pha puum" at the Kawila Military Compound is something we'd like to have more information about: specifically: in the Monk's own words: why did he choose that location.

If this is a "copy-cat" blood-spattering influenced or related to the recent "red blood outpourings" in Bangkok, why not City Hall, or some other venue with more contemporary political significance ?

Most of the soldiers, at least in the lower ranks, in the Kawila Compound are northern Thais; King Kawila of Lampang is a symbol of the restoration of northern Thailand (particularly Chiang Mai), from the total looting and pillage, and systemtaic de-population (that means locals hauled off to Burma as slaves) of the final phase of two-hundred years of Burmese occupation.

So, are we dealing with one "nutter" here, or are there dimensions of the act, symbolically, we are not aware of ?

~o:37;

[Yunnie]

I wasnt comparing the Red shirts and the USA Right -wing crazies at all in a political spectrum. I would think as a Pol Sci major I know better then that. All I said (in my opinionated first (well not really first but) impression) is they just remind me of Right wing conservatives in the US. Thats all, nothing else. I dont want to debate it, cause there's nothing to debate. lol Personally I could careless what they want... I'm sick of all protests and political discord everywhere around the world. I'm very jaded now...

I re-read my paragraph and notice I left out few (important) words/ crazy grammar mistakes. Err, I'm starting to speak AND write in FOB. I have a feeling at the end of my 6 months here I wont even remember English. Someone shoot me. LMAO

Edited March 18, 2010 by Yunnie