Tiger Temple in chaos

[Suffinator]

This all comes down to money as the number of ill-informed and ignorant tourists pay to go see these poor neglected and abused animals.

These lot need sticking in a cage and drugged up 24/7 and starved to near death to see how they like it.

Any tourist who visits places like this doesn't have a conscience.

[Whale]

"The three tigers are among seven Bengal tigers which the department under former director general Plodprasob Suraswadee seized from the temple in 2001 but left them under care of the temple after it promised to look after them."

Years and years of not enrforcing the (any?) laws properly is the background to this - its now time to draw a line sand, surely.

[mike324]

Arrest them all! Throw them in jail

[12DrinkMore]

I have (almost) given up arguing about Buddhism in Thailand.

My GF has reliably told me that most monks are good and there are just a few bad apples.

The good ones must be hiding somewhere, because I always get the impression that they are arrogant pricks on the take all the time.

Did have some good experiences in Cambodia, where the temples had schoolrooms and the children were being taught English and other subjects.

[gemguy]

Hmmmmm......from what I have read about this particular affair the Monks use the Temple as a sort of Zoo with a number of animals being kept there while the Tigers are the main attraction.

The animals on display are a means of generating money for the temple....which should be no surprise....which apparently involves selling and trading these rare animals while such trading activities are deemed illegal to do so

Meantime most people would agree having that many tigers are far too many ...as in ....way to many ...while the whole affair encourages the poaching and trapping of the wild Tigers which are a rapidly declining wildlife species.

Meantime......the public and the government authorities can only pressure the monks so far before the monks will begin to claim it is religious persecution rather than a degree of law enforcement and or a higher level of Government scrutiny that seems to be sorely needed in this particular case.

Cheers

[ldiablo]

Throw all the monks In the slammer. They are obviously hiding something.

[MrJohnson]

The Sangha in this country is a disgrace. The 'temple' has been used as a haven for fugitives, criminals, rapists, pedophiles and worse, for far too long. It is clear they cannot self-regulate. This latest affair simply highlights it yet again. It will be however, a brave politician who wades into this particular cesspool. Net result? Nothing will happen. A bit like the Catholic church in some ways.

[butch333]

i ll never understand thailand , i try i try but it's impossible , they don't have any licence to have wild animals mot only tigers but bears ans others ) , they block the way , put them all in a truck and put them in jail , no need to speak and loose time for nothing , the security of the animals first . the law is the law , and the same for everybody . the problem is that farangs organisations put the problem on internet , then the tat and the army have to move , other way nothing has change . money money money , that's all in thailand . corruption corruption corruption .

[4u2mad]

Kinda brings to mind the catholic church and pedeophilia don't it?

Sure sling the monks in jail for obstruction. Then seach the temple and investigate tax records, if such exist in Thailand?

[Spock]

They have been sold to the Chinese. Almost certainly.

"In Taiwan, a bowl of tiger penis soup (to boost virility) goes for $320, and a pair of eyes (to fight epilepsy and malaria) for $170. Powdered tiger humerus bone (for treating ulcers rheumatism and typhoid) brings up to $1,450 lb. in Seoul."

http://www.singlevisioninc.org/tiger_body_parts_sold.html

A country's treatment of its wild and domestic animals and its attitude toward conserving its wild life, indicates the level of civilization that nation has achieved. The Chinese rank very low in terms of their humanity to animals and probably towards each other.

[Johnny S]

Monks are above the law! Thai Buddhism is different to rest of the world!

+1, its different in the way that it has no value at all - all show no substance

[Basil B]

It seems to me that temples and their abbots are not answerable to anyone...

What is the point of having a Supreme Patriarch (Head Monk of Thailand) if there is no discipline in the Temples?

Looking at the photo seems one man is giving the orders and the rest are doing as he says, most are kids too young to understand.

[slapout]

there seem to be a large portion of various groups in this country who feel they are and should be treate as premadonnas, its a shame it has progrosed to this point but predictiable comparered to the corruption,, actions of civil servents, judical reversals, bail granted, etc

it makes a mockery of all that is legal and then add the religious attitudes, practices, and dalily publicity all the above recieve aqnd the concepte of justice being serviced becomes laughable.

strip all offenders to loin cloths, issue a hand implement and put them to work to beautifing/inprove the country for increments of 1 year, canning standard punshment for infractions. we may find we have more on the work detail than there are people to monitor but a good rifleman should offer discourgement of excessive trespass.

[Gandtee]

Is not the ban on more than five people gathering together not in place now. I would think that this is a good test for our good General to show the nation that all must follow the law and that no one, saffron robe or not, is exempt. Show the people that you mean business.

[dragonfly94]

went to the local forest temple last week that is meant to be held in high regard. Half pf the so called monks were just playing on their phones, making a mockery of the place. Time to vet those wanting to be monks and at the same time end the farce of boys becoming one for two weeks or less, that's just a money spinner as is almost everything else they do these days.

[geisha]

Normaly, no one in the whole world can open a animal sanctuary or zoo without legal papers and licenses. Authorities should put an end to all this. Send in the army, lock up the monks who are breaking the law. Charge them with animal cruelty at the same time!

[Basil B]

went to the local forest temple last week that is meant to be held in high regard. Half pf the so called monks were just playing on their phones, making a mockery of the place. Time to vet those wanting to be monks and at the same time end the farce of boys becoming one for two weeks or less, that's just a money spinner as is almost everything else they do these days.

Are the temples as corrupt as the police force where head monks buy their positions in order to cream off the profits???

[lee b]

This place is just cruel anyway, tigers are meant to be in the wild not in a place like this. Close it down !

[h90]

Disgusting. Defrock all 100 of them.

arrest them.....what funny clothes they wear in the jail is up to them....

[Sydebolle]

The same week the BiB had no problem rounding up some aliens along Sukhumvit Soi 3 ............ pathetic!

[Oziex1]

Perfect opportunity for the Thai administration to try out their new toy, Article 44.

Seize them Centurion.

[cumgranosalum]

It looks as if the monks personal interests have taken priority of that of looking after the animals...hardly a good image to project.

hopefully with all this publicity, the Thai general public will start to get concerned about what the temple really does.

[Local Drunk]

That temple is disgusting. Send in the female police officers and see what the so called monks have to say about that.

[Basil B]

That temple is disgusting. Send in the female police officers and see what the so called monks have to say about that.

To disrobe them???

[chooka]

Defrock? I would send them before Buddha for judgement.

Buddha, one of those imaginary friends like Jesus, mohamed, steve and bluey.

[Local Drunk]

How about this... Don't feed the tigers for about a week... and then those monks with a firm conviction in what they are doing there can just walk right up and give a tiger a hug.

[Local Drunk]

That temple is disgusting. Send in the female police officers and see what the so called monks have to say about that.

To disrobe them???

They need a good defrocking...

[Bangkok Barry]

Why can over 100 police and soldiers not deal with a bunch of monks who think they are above the law? Tear gas them. If the army can't deal with a few monks, heaven help Thailand if it is ever attacked.

[cumgranosalum]

This whole thing seems to be a mess - the authorities do not seem properly equipped or motivated and there seems to be a distinct lack of expertise on the ground or planning for the future of the animals.

[Basil B]

Why can over 100 police and soldiers not deal with a bunch of monks who think they are above the law? Tear gas them. If the army can't deal with a few monks, heaven help Thailand if it is ever attacked.

Really given the bad press Thai Buddhism is getting over this issue it needs some top monk to come down and excommunicate the lot of them.