'Father' Of Santi Asok Seeks To Heal Rifts Among Sect

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BURNING ISSUE

'Father' seeks to heal rifts among sect

By THE SPECIAL NEWS TEAM

"Father" moves to heal rifts between Chamlong, his loving follower and Chaiwat, his leading follower.

Last Saturday night at a rally of the Thailand Patriots Network, Phra Bhodirak or "Father" of the Buddhist sect Santi Asok, read out the lead story from the ASTV weekly magazine.

The topic was how Chaiwat Sinsuwong and Admiral Bannawit Kengrian established a new satellite television channel, "13 Siam Thai".

Bhodhirak read every word in the first paragraphs describing the defection of Chaiwat Sinsuwong from the People's Alliance for Democracy to found the new TV station.

The ASTV weekly magazine had criticised the five founders of 13 Siam Thai saying their motive was to compete with the PAD in vying for the lead role in winning over the hearts of the masses.

Bhodhirak outlined the conflict between the PAD, led by Chamlong, and the 13 Siam Thai led by Chaiwat, and their fighting strategies. "There are differences.

Whether a lot or a little, I cannot stop them from having conflict,'' he said.

The rift between Chamlong and Chaiwat has deepened since Chamlong allowed Thaksin Shinawatra to take over the Phalang Dharma Party in the 2003 general election. Chaiwat founded the Peoples Assembly of Thailand (PAT) to continue the campaign under his management.

Chaiwat also disapproved of Sondhi Limthongkul's move to establish the New Politics Party and had withdrawn support by taking his PAT back to Santi Asok.

Veera Somkwamkid, secretary-general of the People's Network Against Corruption who quarrelled with Sondhi over donations, also took his men back to Santi Asok.

Meanwhile Chamlong has continued to walk a different path to that of Chaiwat, continuing to lead the PAD.

Bannwit persuaded Chaiwat and Veera to establish the 13 Siam Thai channel in an old fertiliser factory close to Santi Asok. The 13 Siam Thai channel has a sister channel, FM TV, that airs the speeches and sermons of Phra Bhodhirak.

The 13 Siam Thai channel has attracted those who are disappointed or dissatisfied with the PAD - such as Karun Sai-ngam, Sombun Thongburan, Athiwat Bunchart and Thaikorn Polsuwan.

Major movements led by Chaiwat and Veera include the protest against Cambodian's registration of Preah Vihear and Cambodia's demarcation they claim violated Thailand's sovereignty.

Since the beginning of last year, Veera had taken many trips to the Cambodian border to stage his protest and later discuss his experience with Bhodhirak on FM TV and 13 Siam Thai.

Bhodirak has shown his support for Veera in demanding land around Preah Vihear. In his own words "The land is being chopped up and separated with new tactics of colonisation.''

The Thailand Patriots Network was established by 40 organisations meeting at Santi Asok.

The network took to the streets outside UNESCO on Sukhumvit road for the first time in July last year, campaigning against Preah Vihear's registration as a World Heritage site.

Chamlong appeared with the network protesters but announced it was his personal decision not to support the PAD's stand.

At the end of last year, the PAD announced its decision to protect the country's sovereignty calling for a mass rally outside Parliament on Tuesday.

Following the arrest of the seven Thais by Cambodian soldiers, the Thailand Patriots led by Bannawit and Chaiwat, called for a rally outside the Government House.

The rally was lackluster as not many turned up in support. Phra Bhodirak later led Santi Asok followers to join the rally to pressure the government to help the seven Thais.

With his belief in Chaiwat and Veera's claim that Thailand had lost its land to Cambodia, Bhodhirak has thrown his weight behind the support of the network. Unlike the PAD's 193-day liberation protest to oust the government of Thaksin, he says:

"Our intention is not to show force but to show the quality of democracy. We do not aim to win or lose.'' He often speaks to his followers to desist from hatred. "You should not allow hatred to [influence] the big issues we are in,'' he said.

His determination to seal the rifts between his followers was when he announced he would lead a mass rally tomorrow at Government House. Santi Asok followers will stage a sit-in protest under a neo-protest method.

Though the rally will comprise many different camps, Bhodirak said they share a common goal- and people must wait and see how he would seal rifts among his followers.

-- The Nation 2011-01-24

[SICHONSTEVE]

What I want to know is where is the "monster raving loony party"???? Surely this new territory would be prime ground for them.

Siting a TV station in an old fertiliser factory seems a bit bizzare to say the least - at least the growth prospects should be good and there should be many budding journo's wanting to work for them!!

Finally, on this piece, does it not seem to you that these "so-called adults are acting like a bunch of immature teenagers that could be looking at a mirror with the Peua Thai party looking back at them????