I came across this thesis browsing the Internet. Having lived in Thailand for 7 years and observing Thai Buddhism during that time I have to agree with the author. Coming from the Zen buddhist tradition of personal responsibility and independence, I find many of the authors remarks to be believable and to the point. This does not mean Zen has avoided similar pitfalls, but it does seem that Buddhism in Thailand has been heavily compromised. http://www.polis.leeds.ac.uk/assets/files/thaipol/mccargo-buddhism-2004.pdf

DUNCAN McCARGO is a highly accepted specialist for South East Esean politics. His fellows from the University of Leed are highly accepted specialists for Thai Buddhism.

A link to check it out.

http://leeds.wreac.org/staff/martin-seeger

The top article is quite interesting, it seenmed on the money to me.

Yes, Duncan McCargo is a high specialist for the "money connections."

But he has not enough "feeling" for the "underground " Buddhism.

He is a good specialist in his job.

The Foreign Minister Kasit came to the University of Leeds to have advertisement about Thailand.(Dr Duncan McCargo, Dr Michael J. G. Parnwell Dr, Martin Seeger,)

He gave diploma for Thai language to students of Martin.

http://www.youtube.com/user/nineplusasia?feature=mhsn#p/u/5/GgN_Gh57luE

You can see him on the movie.

I was very impressed with McCargo's book on Chamlong Srimuang and Santi Asoke.

I was very impressed with McCargo's book on Chamlong Srimuang and Santi Asoke.

Right, the analyses of Duncan McCargo are correct at a high level.

In his domain.

Buddhism in Thailand is not his domain.

I was very impressed with McCargo's book on Chamlong Srimuang and Santi Asoke.

What is the name of this book?

Chamlong Srimuang and the New Thai Politics.

Chamlong Srimuang and the New Thai Politics.

Thank you.

I guess I would take issue with a few points of the article:

1. Buddhism as a "revolutionary force" -- As one of the most well-established religions in the world, and one of the oldest, I'd have a little difficulty supporting this claim (unless you are talking about at the internal/personal level).

2. "...overall numbers of monks are falling" -- the author doesn't cite a reason for this, but my view is that modern life has caught up with the monkhood in Thailand. A Thai man becoming monk essentially commits himself to a life (or some period) of poverty, while the rest of the people in the nation are modernizing (to various extents) to an almost surprising degree.

To say that the author has a western perspective would be an understatement. Most of the writings he references are from western writers.

I would think a question to be asked is, what does the average Thai Buddhist want in terms of the relationship between Buddhism and the government. Freedom of religion may mean separation of church and state in America, but it does not mean that every citizenry in the world has to accept that same tenet.

Good point.

To say that the author has a western perspective would be an understatement. Most of the writings he references are from western writers.

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and his fellows from University Leeds

Dr Marin Seeger

• • Visiting Professor, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya Monastic University, Wat Mahathat, Bangkok, July to August 2010.
  • Visiting Professor, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya Monastic University, Wang Noi, Ayutthaya, October to December 2009.