Dhammakaya temple deploys maximum security to protect its abbot

[simon43]

I believe that Thaksin affiliated himself with this monk..

I did some Googling about this. It seems that it was the other way round! The monk and his sect started to affiliate themselves with Thaksin's political party (Thai Rak Thai), when Thaksin was PM.

Here is a link about this (Mods, link to Nationmultimedia OK??)

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/09/27/opinion/opinion_30014752.php

[OscarTheTurtle]

The Dhammakaya becomes more and more cult like in their reactions.

Remember the Waco siege?

It certainly is a cult but Thailand is a cult society. Cult fanaticism rules this land. Some cults we can talk about publicly but others get government protection. Going after Wat Dhammakaya isn't about justice, crime or helping the brainwashed, it's about stopping competition with the core cult at the center of this nation.

[Bannoi]

Don't they have helicopters and SWAT teams in Thailand

[KIWIBATCH]

...I thought "gatherings of 5 or more people"...was illegal...(hundreds of his supporters have set up checkpoints etc etc)

[HenryB]

This is well-known as a redshirt-supporting or affiliated temple

That is not my understanding. The vast majority of temple supporters are middle class and hi-so Thais, who belief that throwing as much money as possible to this corrupt sect will bring them merit.

If some poor redshirt from Issan tried to enter the temple, they would be kicked out.

My wife says all are welcome as long as they bring a Gift.

Even Farangs that do not believe are welcome if they bring a Gift

[steveyinasia]

Doesn't Thailand have an obstruction of justice charge? If so, they should just get the armies help and go start at the entrance and arrest every person who gets in there way. Working there way to this guy until there is none left to stop them. They also should provide arrest warrants for the company which supplied the caterpillar to block the entrance. Maybe start there at that company until they provide the keys to move it out of the way. This guy has made himself a stronghold there and is surly threat to the nation of allow them to stay. Buddhist or not it is wrong for them to protect and hide this man from justice. If he is innocent he has nothing to fear and if he was really a Buddhist he would not allow putting others at risk to protect him

As there really is no Justice in Thailand, or at the very least, an obscure very of it, it cannot really be classified as obstruction of justice. Maybe a new version called Promotion of Comedy.

[ExpatLife]

This is a temple, supposed to be a place of worship.

Why are they trying to protect a man who has fled already?

It is an absolute disgrace. Buddists supposedly peace loving people.

Bunch of hypocrites that is what they are.

Exactly. I came to this country and part of the world back in 2009 for multiple reasons, one of then was because I adhered to Buddhist philosophy. My my my, what a shock I had lol. This country has a very skewed and distorted view of what it means to be a Buddhist which is quite sad.

[Emster23]

"My wife says all are welcome as long as they bring a Gift.

Even Farangs that do not believe are welcome if they bring a Gift"

Hey, if it works for bar girls, it works for that temple.....

Tanks a lot I say....

but then again, maybe soldiers would refuse to follow orders to storm the place?

[tukkytuktuk]

[garvon]

This all reminds me of many years ago when the law enforcement agencies were going to round up the godfathers of the country and put a stop to their activities. Well it transpired that they sent a force of 50 or more to the Kaman Poh in Chonburi and then proceeded to his compound in riot gear and, of course, they had to ring the bell first and wait for someone to open the compound.

Sound similar?

[Suradit69]

After the Red Shirts, after the Yellow Shirts do we now have the Saffron Shirts to openly challenge the legal order?

Thankfully no religious groups or dissidents of one sort or another have ever challenged legal order anywhere in Farangland.

[Briggsy]

Wat Dhammakaya has had a strong following amongst Bangkok, often Sino-Thai, middle class adherents for many years. The authorities are unwilling to pick a conflict with this powerful and connected constituency.

This is well-known as a redshirt-supporting or affiliated temple. they are doing the smart thing for them, because many people would abandon their kids before they would abandon their beliefs.

What needs to happen next is the Abbot needs to announce that the DSI are victimising them because of their political affiliations. See if they can mobilise the redshirts. Light blue touch paper and retire...

W

One or the other perhaps, but both are shall we say - mutually exclusive?

At first glance you might think so. But it is not necessarily the case. Many middle-class Bangkok Thais never had it so good as they did under Thaksin and associated regimes provided they had the right connections.

Certainly Thaksin would be seen by this temple as a friend and defender of old.

But I stand by my assertion that this is a temple with a following far more Bangkok and wealthy oriented than the average.

My view is the abbot is saving his own neck rather than seeking any kind of political confrontation but of course there could be others pulling strings from behind the curtain.

[Suradit69]

Don't they have helicopters and SWAT teams in Thailand

Yes, that worked well in the US.

The Waco siege was a siege of a compound belonging to the religious group Branch Davidians by American federal and Texas state law enforcement and US military ...

The incident began when the ATF attempted to raid the ranch. An intense gun battle erupted, resulting in the deaths of four government agents and six Branch Davidians. Upon the ATF's failure to raid the compound, a siege was initiated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI), the standoff lasting 51 days. Eventually, the FBI launched an assault and initiated a tear gasattack in an attempt to force the Branch Davidians out of the ranch. During the attack, a fire engulfed Mount Carmel Center. 76 people died,including David Koresh.

[tukkytuktuk]

Something to hide?

[Mickmouse1]

Amazing theatrical act.Why suddenly want to arrest him? There are few others beling to that temple who are also involved in money laundering using that Monk.I am talking about 6 years back.

[TSF]

Ex TGF of mine got sucked in by this mob, they're just like the Moonies. This ex GF has been giving large sums of money to them, they told her she has a booked place in "Paradise" after she dies. I tried to talk some sense into her but she was ready for me, the boss abbot had prepared her for people like me....it was the devil talking through me.

[kiwikeith]

Careful now! Don't upset him by arresting him, he may faint again!

Seems he's running out of options so the dsi will give him a chance to escape the country with his stolen money. The can't give him any more chance can they?

What a joke.

the sad thing is that some people can not grasp the fact that even a Monk can be corrupt.

[whatproblem]

They blocked the main entrance because the monk wants the dsi to use his back door

[DM07]

Absolutely hilarious!

[TKDfella]

I think they should make a game out of this...except they won't need animation apart from the player. Now what can I use to move the caterpillar? I know...a bigger caterpillar. Talk about a farce!

[Familyaffairs]

Giving the DSI the bird....a state within a state disregarding the law....

[robblok]

Wat Dhammakaya has had a strong following amongst Bangkok, often Sino-Thai, middle class adherents for many years. The authorities are unwilling to pick a conflict with this powerful and connected constituency.

This is well-known as a redshirt-supporting or affiliated temple. they are doing the smart thing for them, because many people would abandon their kids before they would abandon their beliefs.

What needs to happen next is the Abbot needs to announce that the DSI are victimising them because of their political affiliations. See if they can mobilise the redshirts. Light blue touch paper and retire...

W

One or the other perhaps, but both are shall we say - mutually exclusive?

At first glance you might think so. But it is not necessarily the case. Many middle-class Bangkok Thais never had it so good as they did under Thaksin and associated regimes provided they had the right connections.

Certainly Thaksin would be seen by this temple as a friend and defender of old.

But I stand by my assertion that this is a temple with a following far more Bangkok and wealthy oriented than the average.

My view is the abbot is saving his own neck rather than seeking any kind of political confrontation but of course there could be others pulling strings from behind the curtain.

Now your admitting Thaksin was there and aligned with them (just as I recall too and seen in news articles) but you say even though this is proven you don't think to.

Why do you think Buddha Issara is so against this temple......

Put the dots together.. these are aligned with the PTP.

[Pimay1]

The way this is going it could end up as another Jim Jones fiasco.

[swerver]

Doesn't Thailand have an obstruction of justice charge? If so, they should just get the armies help and go start at the entrance and arrest every person who gets in there way. Working there way to this guy until there is none left to stop them. They also should provide arrest warrants for the company which supplied the caterpillar to block the entrance. Maybe start there at that company until they provide the keys to move it out of the way. This guy has made himself a stronghold there and is surly threat to the nation of allow them to stay. Buddhist or not it is wrong for them to protect and hide this man from justice. If he is innocent he has nothing to fear and if he was really a Buddhist he would not allow putting others at risk to protect him

Chino Thai, Construction Company, sets one to thinking.

[lvr181]

"Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely." - Lord Acton

And those with vested interests will follow blindly!

[sambum]

How long is the big, rough, tough, soldier boy of a PM going to allow this fiasco to continue ?

The monk is making a fool of govt agencies and being allowed to do so but i suppose it's easier dragging in students etc for AA and threatening critics with 10 years in jail because they're all easier to handle.

Great leadership, again !

Or arresting Chinese tourists for feeding fish!

[kkerry]

The DSI need to get hold of this guy to help with the negotiations... experienced in Buddhism and can take control if things turn violent...

[facthailand]

This is well-known as a redshirt-supporting or affiliated temple. they are doing the smart thing for them, because many people would abandon their kids before they would abandon their beliefs.

The only Dhammakaya cult believers I know are all middle class, PDRC yellowshirt supporters, with origins mainly in the Buddhist South.

Dhammakaya is all about money. They'd get little dosh from redshirts.

[gyrosman]

I thought I saw 2 semi's loaded with RED BULL get past the security with free Blackberries for everyone, O.J. Simpson has just converted to BUDDHISM

[Sydebolle]

This country is absolutely doomed.

Dhammachayo requested for questioning - no show

Red Bull heir - no show
Thaksin - no show
The power to implement the law - no show.

But, arrest a Chinese tourist feeding fish on open sea - arrest and bailed against THB 100'000.

Stealing three melons from your employer - arrest and bailed against THB 50'000.

Next please!