Activist and royalist monk demands apology from US ambassador

BANGKOK: Phra Buddha Isara, a royalist abbot of Wat Or-noi temple in Nakhon Pathom, continued his movement to demand apology from the new US ambassador Glyn T Davies over his recent criticism of the lese majeste law, after leading protest at the embassy last month.

The monk wrote on his Facebook page yesterday calling on all Thai people to come out in full force to protect what he called the Thai “dignity” and the Institution.

He urged community leaders, unionists in all provinces to come out and rally in front of city halls or US and foreign consulates in their provinces to protest the US ambassador, and to demand his apology for his criticism of the lese majeste law which he said was a gross interference in Thailand’s internal affairs.

However he urged that all protests must be held peacefully and within the boundary of laws.

Earlier Buddha Issara urged the United States to remove Davies, saying he is a chronic meddler wherever he is placed.

Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai earlier said he was optimistic that controversy over the US ambassador’s criticism was not likely to escalate.

He also said he would seek to meet with the envoy to discuss this matter.

Davies drew criticism and opposition for saying that penalties under the lese majeste law were too harsh and that the law was often used to gag government critics. He made the comments in a recent talk at the Foreign Correspondents Club in Bangkok

During the talk Davies said no one should be jailed for peacefully expressing their views.

Buddha Isara rose to fame and some infamy by leading anti-government protests in the run-up to the 2014 coup.

In October 1 this year, he led a demonstration to the U.S. Embassy on to condemn Human Rights Watch for calling for amendment of the law, which Thai authorities say is necessary to protect the monarchy from threats.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/activist-and-royalist-monk-demands-apology-from-us-ambassador

-- Thai PBS 2015-12-05

Buddha Issara - named after the Buddha's evil nemisis Devadatta (I kid not). Our present day version made his money peddling untested 'home' remedies as 'medicine' in his temple to Buddhist believers.

Uggh.

True Buddhist demand that Issara be defrocked and shot immediately!

"saying he is a chronic meddler"

and nothing wrong with monks meddling?

However he urged that all protests must be held peacefully and within the boundary of laws.

Should be no problem for anyone.. But I think protests of no more than 5 people will be hard to organize and maintain. It is the law right no more than 5 people in a gathering?

Idiot. How he isn't a candidate for defrocking is anybody's guess. The US ambassador did nothing wrong. Quite a few brainwashed (or should that be braindead) Thais have been spewing similar bile as the monk on facebook. It's pathetic at best

This character is not a true buddist monk. He is nothing more than an instigating political extremist hiding behind a kashaya.

..and if he doesn't apologize?

However he urged that all protests must be held peacefully and within the boundary of laws.

Should be no problem for anyone.. But I think protests of no more than 5 people will be hard to organize and maintain. It is the law right no more than 5 people in a gathering?

That law only applies to people who have any opposite views of the current govdictauth regime.

"Earlier Buddha Issara urged the United States to remove Davies, saying he is a chronic meddler wherever he is placed."

​Oh the irony of it all.

Oh what a tangled web we weave,
When first we practise to deceive!

Sir Walter Scott, Marmion, Canto vi. Stanza 17.
Scottish author & novelist (1771 - 1832)

I always thought a Buddhist has to be quick to forgive and move on. Specially a Monk.

"Demanding" an apology is kind of against Buddhism ....

However he urged that all protests must be held peacefully and within the boundary of laws.

Should be no problem for anyone.. But I think protests of no more than 5 people will be hard to organize and maintain. It is the law right no more than 5 people in a gathering?

Depends...

Someone missed their daily enema.

This is not the best way to woo thailand into the tpp. Snicker snicker.

Send him and the mad monk on a fact finding mission to Syria.

He does this to grab money.....period.

"Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest? "

Henry II

What an embarrassment - not only to Buddhism, but to Thailand, all Asians, and humankind in general...

An apology? for lightly being critical of a court, under an illegal junta handing out a 60 year sentence reduced to 30 for fb comments, in effect a death sentence. I really don't think so.

Off he's meds again

Phra Buddha Isara can go suck an egg.

Well that tears the civara!

Section 8 of the Thai Public Assembly Act of 2015 (http://lawdrafter.blogspot.com/2015/08/translation-thai-public-assembly-act-of.html), states that:

No public assembly shall obstruct gateway of, impede the performance of duties of, or hinder access to service of, the followings:

(1) State agencies’ office;

(2) airport, wharf, rail station or any other public transport station;

(3) hospital, education institution and religious establishment;

(4) embassy or consulate of foreign State or office of international organization;

(5) other places as notified by the Minister.

But, the self-styled 'war elephant' has really thrown down a serious challenge to the junta-head with this latest effluent.

Clearly time to dust off Section 134 of the Penal Code!

At the very least, he needs to be invited to take a long retreat, and do lots of meditation and severe penance.

True Buddhist demand that Issara be defrocked and shot immediately!

Has a striking resemblance to Lord Suthep

Someone missed their daily enema.

He is now taking it orally but it seems to regurgitate vocally.

He has to stay in the news, or he will fade away. He knows that. If it wasn't for the ambassador, it would be someone/thing else. It doesn't matter what or who, as long as he gets coverage that gives him a semblance of credibility.

This is a fake Buddhist. This person is a political tool for vested interests. He is the burning flag of the rent-a-mob: a propagandist intent on controlling the thinking of others. His motivations are not Buddhist, they are about ambition and vanity. He seems like a very unintelligent man with some other people's very large member up his backside keeping the show going.

All of this gang, including Suthep and Chan O, stink.

Sure would be interesting to see a (real) investigation into this man's dealings over time.

This is eerily reminiscent of the fatwah issued against Salman Rushdie by Ayatollah Khomeini, who did so without bothering to read his book.

Sorry Mr. Activist Monk, but you'll not be getting one.

He'd have more success pissing up a rope.

Wow...

Let Thailand be Thailand.

Soon enough these chimps will be begging for everyone to return.

As an expat, Burma is looking better.

If it was't for my wife, Ray Charles is what: Hit The Road Jack