Nationalist group submits list of people supporting Buddhism to be made national religion

[webfact]

Nationalist group submits a name list of people supporting Buddhism to be made national religion



BANGKOK: -- A group of Buddhist nationalists submitted to the Constitution Drafting Committee a name list of 100,000 people whom they claimed have supported their call for Buddhism to be enshrined in the constitution as national religion.

Led by Pol Maj-Gen Rungroj Pekanant, president of the World Peace Association, the group claimed to represent the Buddhism Protection Group and monks throughout the country.

Pol Maj-Gen Rungroj said the group had been campaigning for the past ten years for Buddhism to be incorporated in the charter as national religion and now wanted the CDC which is now at the final stage of rewriting the charter draft to respond to their demand.

Since 90 percent of the population in Thailand are Buddhists, he claimed that the charter draft would receive overwhelming support when it is put for a referendum if Buddhism is made the national religion in the constitution.

CDC vice chairman Supote Khaimook who received the name list from the group said that the group’s demand is a sensitive issue and should be considered with great care bearing in mind public peace and order.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/156339


-- Thai PBS 2016-03-23

[tbthailand]

idiots.

[thesetat2013]

idiots.

Because this group thinks adding Buddhism as a national religion will take everyone's focus away from everything else in the new charter and more people will support approving it.

[BSJ]

Let em do it! Nothing will change and then I can say "Told you so" later on!

[rkidlad]

Buddhist nationalists - now there's an oxymoron. .

[Rayk]

Been campaigning for the past 10 years and all they could come up with was a list of 100,000 people. Well done...sarcasm.

Edited March 23, 2016 by Rayk

[maoro2013]

100,000 not want Buddhism as a national religion. That doesn't seem to be many. Maybe there are that many monks.

The whole thing about religion is that we are not born with it, we are taught, and many thinking people reject religion totally.

[Charlie1]

I thought the national religion here is money..!?

[DoctorG]

No country needs a "national" religion. All it does is enshrines benefits to the proponents, and marginalizes everyone else.

[klauskunkel]

and what is the point in making Buddhism national religion? There must be money involved in some way. Subventions, dispensations, tax exemptions.

Oh, and protection: don't question the Sangha, don't question the Supreme Patriarch and his friends and their families and distant relatives and business partners and casual acquaintances. And all that retroactive. And totally forget about questioning any donations to anyone mentioned previously, especially cars, old, new, used.

[loong]

"Since 90 percent of the population in Thailand are Buddhists"

Maybe that should read "Since 90 percent of the population in Thailand are labelled as Buddhists, but do not practice Buddhism"

Going to the temple on special days and waiing at buddhist statues does not make you a buddhist.

Lots of people in the UK go to church at Easter, Christmas, that does not make them Christian. It is the way that you live your daily life that defines you.

My brother-in-law is a monk and has much more money than working saps. The only way that he can have money is if he has stolen money intended as donations to the temple. So as far as I am concerned, even being a monk does not automatically make you a Buddhist.

[seahorse]

I thought the national religion here is money..!?

Bahtism.

[bark]

"Since 90 percent of the population in Thailand are Buddhists"

Maybe that should read "Since 90 percent of the population in Thailand are labelled as Buddhists, but do not practice Buddhism"

Going to the temple on special days and waiing at buddhist statues does not make you a buddhist.

Lots of people in the UK go to church at Easter, Christmas, that does not make them Christian. It is the way that you live your daily life that defines you.

My brother-in-law is a monk and has much more money than working saps. The only way that he can have money is if he has stolen money intended as donations to the temple. So as far as I am concerned, even being a monk does not automatically make you a Buddhist.

You are too funny. You do not have to go to a temple or church every week, to be of that religion. Just like you do not have to go to your favorite teams home games to support them and be a fan. But as you are from the UK, I bet that country wishes they could take back your passport because you live in Thailand. I wonder what country would want you ? I heard Syria needs people ! Good Luck.

[tuanku]

As Buddha was an Indian, would a Buddhist nationalist want to be Indian too?

[soalbundy]

Where are they going to get all the Buddhists from ?

[Srikcir]

a name list of 100,000 people whom they claimed have supported their call for Buddhism to be enshrined in the constitution as national religion.

What if the Muslims produced a name list of 100,000 people who support Islam to be the national religion? They number over 4 million so getting 100,000 names should be possible.

Or in the alternative Muslims request to have Islam enshrined as the national religion only in the South where Muslims account for over 95% of the population. I'm sure the Buddhists in the South can respect the dominance of Islam there and visa versa. Such a provision would require the South to be autonomous from a Buddhist head of state however. But the referendum for Meechai's draft constitution will receive overwhelming support from Malay-Thais!

[Jimbo2014]

Why do I feel like that guy in the time machine when he hit the reverse button hard?

[Enoon]

"Since 90 percent of the population in Thailand are Buddhists"

Maybe that should read "Since 90 percent of the population in Thailand are labelled as Buddhists, but do not practice Buddhism"

Going to the temple on special days and waiing at buddhist statues does not make you a buddhist.

Lots of people in the UK go to church at Easter, Christmas, that does not make them Christian. It is the way that you live your daily life that defines you.

My brother-in-law is a monk and has much more money than working saps. The only way that he can have money is if he has stolen money intended as donations to the temple. So as far as I am concerned, even being a monk does not automatically make you a Buddhist.

You are too funny. You do not have to go to a temple or church every week, to be of that religion. Just like you do not have to go to your favorite teams home games to support them and be a fan. But as you are from the UK, I bet that country wishes they could take back your passport because you live in Thailand. I wonder what country would want you ? I heard Syria needs people ! Good Luck.

You are not funny. You are, however, severely lacking in English comprehension:

What loong is pointing out is that going into a building, and performing rituals (as people in the UK infrequently but regularly do, and Thai people do frequently), is no evidence of sincerity or willingness to live by the principles of any belief system. The people in the UK who he describes just do it as a result of convention and habit.

Likewise merely calling yourself, or being labelled by your culture/society as, a Buddhist does not make you one.

Neither does calling your country "officially" Buddhist mean that it's citizens actually behave, or will behave, in the way that Buddha suggested.

You references to passport retrieval and Syria are truly bizarre, are you on drugs or just a "barking mad" Nationalist?

Edited March 23, 2016 by Enoon

[gandalf12]

ok so Buddhism is the national belief. When are they going to get some real Buddhists to match it? Like most countries the people pay lip service to the national belief. But what is the advantage of saying the national belief (I wont say religion as Buddhism is not a religion) is Buddhism?

[Dogmatix]

This idea comes up every time a new constitution is being drafted, which is quite often. It is disgusting to try to impose a national religion on the 10% or more of Thais who are not Buddhist and will definitely increase divisions with the Muslim South that is already badly discriminated against. It is also unnecessary for Buddhists. Much better to stick to the principle that freedom of religion is guaranteed under the constitution and leave it at that.

[dcnx]

First, they need to learn what it really means to be Buddhist. The twisted, perverse Thai version is anything but.

[Nobb]

If this is true just look to Germany and Europe to see what is in store for your future. So sad to hear these numbers because within 5 years the Muslims will control Thailand. Not the PM,s job to watch them and it makes his job a lot easier. Mister PM give your job up before the take over takes place!

[Nobb]

The man who made these claims is telling the truth. Muslims are like rats they come to your area and want every thing. Starve these bastards out and Thailand will rise again!

[loong]

"Since 90 percent of the population in Thailand are Buddhists"

Maybe that should read "Since 90 percent of the population in Thailand are labelled as Buddhists, but do not practice Buddhism"

Going to the temple on special days and waiing at buddhist statues does not make you a buddhist.

Lots of people in the UK go to church at Easter, Christmas, that does not make them Christian. It is the way that you live your daily life that defines you.

My brother-in-law is a monk and has much more money than working saps. The only way that he can have money is if he has stolen money intended as donations to the temple. So as far as I am concerned, even being a monk does not automatically make you a Buddhist.

You are too funny. You do not have to go to a temple or church every week, to be of that religion. Just like you do not have to go to your favorite teams home games to support them and be a fan. But as you are from the UK, I bet that country wishes they could take back your passport because you live in Thailand. I wonder what country would want you ? I heard Syria needs people ! Good Luck.

You are not funny. You are, however, severely lacking in English comprehension:

What loong is pointing out is that going into a building, and performing rituals (as people in the UK infrequently but regularly do, and Thai people do frequently), is no evidence of sincerity or willingness to live by the principles of any belief system. The people in the UK who he describes just do it as a result of convention and habit.

Likewise merely calling yourself, or being labelled by your culture/society as, a Buddhist does not make you one.

Neither does calling your country "officially" Buddhist mean that it's citizens actually behave, or will behave, in the way that Buddha suggested.

You references to passport retrieval and Syria are truly bizarre, are you on drugs or just a "barking mad" Nationalist?

Good post Enoon,

I also think that the comments about my passport are bizarre.

It amazes me, the amount of people that go to the temple to pray to Buddha for a sign of a lucky number that will enable them to win the lottery. They want to win the lottery as it brings wealth and wealth brings privelage. That makes total sense, doesn't it?

Buddha, who turned his back on a life of extreme wealth and privelage to seek something different and more fullfilling is going to help people to win the lottery? These people are not Buddhists.

[Kiwiken]

Buddhism is the majority faith in Thailand but I hope they do not go down the path of declaring it the National religion. Better Secularism . You only have to look at Turkey to see what happens when you merge religion with the state.

[connda]

From what is see on the road everyday, there aren't many real Buddhist in Thailand. Just a lot of very angry, self-centered, and none too compassionate medallion wearing, 'boon' seekers. They'd be better off making animism the national religion and all worshipers can worship a large symbol of the baht ฿, a TV set, a smart phone, and a lotto ticket. Only a fraction of this population are real Buddhists.

[connda]

No country needs a "national" religion. All it does is enshrines benefits to the proponents, and marginalizes everyone else.

Why not. Virtually all Middle Eastern countries do.

[willyumiii]

I try to follow the teachings of the Buddha, but like many others, I consider Buddhism to be a philosophy, not a religion.

Could we just call it a national philosophy instead?

P,S. Who cares?

Nothing matters, and what if it did?

[willyumiii]

The man who made these claims is telling the truth. Muslims are like rats they come to your area and want every thing. Starve these bastards out and Thailand will rise again!

Again?

Guess I missed the first time .

[mrrizzla]

The Buddha would approve of such bureaucracy.