Temples and Buddhist organizations to press for appointment of new supreme patriarch

BANGKOK: -- A network of Buddhist organizations in coordination with temples throughout the country will launch a campaign to press for the appointment of Somdet Phra Maharatchamangalacharn or Somdet Chuang as the new supreme patriarch.

It was reported that all temples would put up a poster voicing support for the Sangha Supreme Council’s resolution 5/2559 nominating Somdet Chuang as the 20th supreme patriarch at their premises.

On top of that, all the temples were urged to send mails to the Prime Minister’s Office demanding speedy appointment of Somdet Chuang, currently the acting supreme patriarch.

Meanwhile the student council of Maha Chulalongkorn Buddhist University on Monday issued a statement voicing support for the Sangha Supreme Council.

Phra Paladnont, president of the student council, however, assured that the council would not take to the streets to press for their demand as recommended by some senior monks.

He said the student council would wait and see how the government would react to this latest move by monks and whether the government still recognizes the Sangha Supreme Council or not.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/152925


-- Thai PBS 2016-03-01

I wonder why they think he is the most suitable monk to lead their religion. The practice of appointing nonagenarians to the post means that the incumbent is usually ailing for his entire tenor. Then there is a lengthy period of mourning before he is succeeded by another ailing nonagenarian. Meanwhile Thai Buddhism slips further and further into materialism, fortune telling, cultism etc.

Edited March 1, 201610 yr by Dogmatix

This shady monk has the backing from one of the largest and most influential temples in Thailand. Wat Dhammakaya, this temple is like the mega churches of the West. Asking followers to donate money, the more you donate the higher up the ladder you will climb in your after life...something like that.