Monk’s wealth to be scrutinised under the reform bill



BANGKOK: -- A reform committee of the National Reform Council is proposing to scrutinise monks' assets to ensure that they strictly abide by the Buddha teachings.

Naowarat Pongpaiboon, the head of a NRC committee considering reform proposals on values, art, culture, ethics and religion, said the proposed scrutiny was to make sure that monks stick to living a frugal life.

He said the scrutiny was among various proposals on religious affairs.

But it is the last category that attracted wide public interest as a result of numerous scandals involving misconducts of monks.

The scrutiny proposal targets monks who are suspected of amassing wealth.

He said the NRC has yet to discuss these proposals.

However he said NRC members are likely to insist they subject their assets to scrutiny.

Mr Naowarat, who is a national artist, said monks must follow teachings.

Several monks have been seen using high-end products and riding in luxury cars which goes against their tradition of leading a frugal and simple existence in the monkhood.

The NRC will not reform Buddhist teachings, but it wants to make sure monks follow the teachings properly.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/monks-wealth-scrutinised-reform-bill


-- Thai PBS 2015-01-21

A whole new ball game. No society in Thailand will bear close scrutiny.

this is great news, at last the monks that are building their own little nest eggs will be stopped. After seeing monks owning several houses, land, cars, helicopters etc and using all the latest in gadgets and carrying designer bags & eye wear it is way past time they were made to live as they are supposed to, very humbly. Being a monk has become a farce as it is being used as a front to set themselves up for life, if they can introduce this as law and then start to seize assets etc from those that have gone against buddhist teachings we may well see normality return to religion in Thailand and an end to the monks that are shaming their religion/ country with their display of wealth.

Dear General, can we start with Buddha Issara's amassed wealth please? Thank you

Fantastic. I will hold of judgement until it happens.

I lost all faith when I saw for the first time one Monk with 3 mobile phones. I have since seen more than one Iphone on numerous monks. That is not to say that everyone is like that but I have said this before considering this country is predominantly Buddhists, people at all levels of society, sure do talk a lot about money. Hardly the Buddha's teachings.

The principal aim of religion is control of the masses, by promising more than they have now at some future date, usually after death, if they behave.

Transferring wealth from the gullible to the venal is pretty high on the list though. Buying merit through donations is a beautiful scam, nearly as classy as the selling of indulgences which sparked the Reformation.

My question is ... if money, estates, cars, assets are really seized ... where will it go???

To me it looks like ... just "transferring" it from people unwilling to follow the Buddhist rules to people unwilling to work for their money.

Or will everything be donated to homeless, poor people?

'Monk’s wealth to be scrutinised under the reform bill'

Just the one, then?

Dear General, can we start with Buddha Issara's amassed wealth please? Thank you

I doubt that

Will the same scrutiny be extended to senior Army and Police officers ?

While it is a welcome (alleged) intention, it's just a diversion of attention away from the big boys' hidden and dubious wealth.

Or will everything be donated to homeless, poor people?

No, that would be ACCORDING to the teachings, that would make sense!

The principal aim of religion is control of the masses, by promising more than they have now at some future date, usually after death, if they behave.

Transferring wealth from the gullible to the venal is pretty high on the list though. Buying merit through donations is a beautiful scam, nearly as classy as the selling of indulgences which sparked the Reformation.

One hardly likes to point out your erroneous use of the word 'religion', but Buddhism is a philosophy, not a religion.

Enough said though - whatever it is, they certainly are hardly paragons of virtue; perhaps the selling of 'merit' will catch up with Roman Catholicism (it's only 400 years behind).

Whether it's 'lost in translation' or it will be the same as before, wait, hesitate, give the rotten apple time to evacuate the money and run away...

I would have like it so much to read: monks' , instead of monk's.

(Why it is not made compulsory for monks, and wats, to pay income tax? Because they are not supposed to have any money? Trailing a few centuries behind the reality of facts, as usually, are we? 'Thainess'? Not Buddhism, that's for sure!

The principal aim of religion is control of the masses, by promising more than they have now at some future date, usually after death, if they behave.

Transferring wealth from the gullible to the venal is pretty high on the list though. Buying merit through donations is a beautiful scam, nearly as classy as the selling of indulgences which sparked the Reformation.

One hardly likes to point out your erroneous use of the word 'religion', but Buddhism is a philosophy, not a religion.

Enough said though - whatever it is, they certainly are hardly paragons of virtue; perhaps the selling of 'merit' will catch up with Roman Catholicism (it's only 400 years behind).

Very sad indeed that the good general and the NCPO do consider Buddhism as a religion...

Big talks. wont change a damn thing. It never did.

Fantastic. I will hold of judgement until it happens.

I lost all faith when I saw for the first time one Monk with 3 mobile phones. I have since seen more than one Iphone on numerous monks. That is not to say that everyone is like that but I have said this before considering this country is predominantly Buddhists, people at all levels of society, sure do talk a lot about money. Hardly the Buddha's teachings.

Take us on a journey where the teachings of the spiritual master are being followed.

So now Thailand will have the annual monk audit.........must be a global 1st!

Sorry guys, but even with fragmented knowledge of the teaching of Buddha, I already have a problem the terms:

monk's assests and monk's wealth

but than I thought maybe it's caused by my lack of knowledge about "Thainess and Prayuthness"

Will the same scrutiny be extended to senior Army and Police officers ?

"You silly twisted boy you!" If I may quote "The Goon Show", they do seem to be writing the scripts these days.

Running such a committee calls for all the skills and experience of - I don't know, a National Artist?

in the first world we call them politicians, here we have both, it just never ends, its all bullshit, to rip off the masses, been going on forever, just get on the gravy train some where, or you are a loser

What about the amassed wealth of school directors. Where parents and tax payers pay billions to provide for teachers and kids. The kids get nothing and the teachers who do all the work get even less. Try getting a marker out of the school director. We have to buy them ourselves. Most teachers are working nights and weekend just to make ends meet. While directors keep stuffing their big fat pockets

"A reform committee of the National Reform Council is proposing to scrutinise monks' assets to ensure that they strictly abide by the Buddha teachings."

well that will keep them busy for a few years at least....

You can pretty well assume that the only Buddhist monasteries strictly following the Vinaya, especially as it pertains to money, are those monasteries associated with forest monasteries. Individual monks within the monasteries vary. Most will accept money unless they are strictly following the Vinaya, e.g., think Wat Pha Nanachat (the Wat Pha means "forest monastery"). I know the novice monks at our local monasteries will goes to 7/11 and buy food on rainy days instead of walking their morning alms rounds. Sad. Imho, any attachments (as to money) leads to losing the essence of Theravada Buddhism. During the period of time I was ordained, any money I received I just gave to the wat where I was staying. It's about letting go of wants, desires, and attachments. Again, imho, any monk amassing wealth should disrobe. Whatever they're following, it's not Buddhism as taught by Buddha. <head shake>.

Will the same scrutiny be extended to senior Army and Police officers ?

Police officers maybe.

I met a very well know monk with his own TV program, selling IPhones and IPad loaded with its teachings in its retreat, outside BK.

I was invited by a Thai family. I was the only "farang" on the Sonkrang retreat in 2011, and curiosity is my biggest "addiction"... Monks living areas shows a sing "Out of Limits", but curiosity is my biggest addiction. The Master lives in a small very modern house, others monks in wooden bungalows. Walking at the back of his house, under the carport, was a brand new Mercedes 500 4D SUV, the same kind selling in the US at that time for over $100K....

Later I saw the same car in a car expo fair in Chiang Mai selling for 9 milTHB.

That was my first experience with Buddhism in Thailand, and was kind of a surprise.... I do not live in BK, but I saw him many times on TV revered by important personalities...and big donors. I like Buddhism, and I know that always will be good and bad Masters and followers...but too much easy money is not a good adviser to anyone.

Hmmm.......I think its reasonable for monks to have an iPhone. I don't see issue with that. Sure and some Monks smoke cigarettes. Is it all a big issue.

However if the funds that paid for that came from people giving their few baht to the Temple to help the temple thats where its wrong

The funds source is the issue, for me at least.

I don't see why it should be a legal issue whether a monk has assets or not.

Did they sign a business contract to remain poor forever? Since when does being a monk open you up to legal scrutiny like this?

Ridiculous proposition. They are meant to live frugally, what has that got to do with the government? Are they to force someone to be frugal?

What if someone opens a competing buddhism where you don't have to be frugal?

Past political shake ups included a parallel shake up among the Sanga.

This is about as likely to be about the moral values of monks as the 'intervention' was about ending corruption.

Expect to see targeted, RTP-style cases against monks and temples.