Nida Poll: Most Buddhists want Phra Dhammachayo to surrender to DSI

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Nida Poll: Most Buddhists want Phra Dhammachayo to surrender to DSI



BANGKOK: -- The majority of Thai Buddhists want Phra Dhammachayo to turn himself in to the Department of Special Investigation to acknowledge the charges against him so he can prove his innocence, according to Nida Poll of the National Institute Development Administration.

The poll was conducted during June 27-28. Altogether 1,250 Thai Buddhists of various occupations and educational backgrounds across the country were polled.

The results of the opinion poll are as follows: 51.44 percent want to see the abbot of Wat Dhammakaya enter the judicial process to prove his innocence; 20.80 percent want to see the DSI speed up the case against Dhammachayo; 9.36 percent believe Dhammachayo’s resistance against the DSI is politically motivated; 8 percent believe the case will result in division in the country; 6.72 percent blame a group of people of attaching more importance to faith than in the law of the land; 5.84 percent want the DSI to postpone the legal proceedings until the monk has recovered from his illness; and 5.12 percent believe the case represents a crisis of Buddhism in Thailand.

3.12 percent want Dhammachayo to turn himself in only after democracy is restored in the country; 2.16 percent believe the monk was persecuted; 1.44 percent believe that the DSI is biased against the monk and the temple.

Asked about which is more important between “faith” and “law enforcement”, the poll shows: 77.52 percent of the responedents say law enforcement should come first; 10.08 percent say faith is more important than law enforcement.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/170607-2/


-- Thai PBS 2016-06-30

[NongKhaiKid]

1,250 out of how many tens of millions that claim to be Buddhists here ?

The abbot's followers alone far outnumber those polled and we know their view on the matter and surrendering isn't one of them.

I'm sure this poll is bound to sway his decision to fight knowing the ' majority ' is against him !

[colinneil]

You have a monk who thinks he is above the law.

I am untouchable, laughing at justice

What signal does this send to honest law abiding citizens?

If the people believe him, follow him anarchy will reign.

[Alive]

Of course, those who don't belong to the temple are 'real' Buddhists and they know what's best in this story and in Thailand's story. The followers of the temple don't matter because they're aren't Buddhist by their standards. It's the same story as some people these days being real Thais or real patriots. Some Thais know the truth and others are crazy. Why don't these infidels just go abroad before they are all jailed.

[rkidlad]

Okay, and? How many Christians, Jews, Muslims, etc think he should surrender? That's a moot point? It is indeed.

If there's evidence there, who cares what a certain group of people think. Go and arrest him.

[ezzra]

Simply put, the man knows he has no answers to the DSI queries as to the origin and source of the billions

given to him and the temple, otherwise he'd be gone there and get it over with, and you don't

have to be a 72 years old head of million of followers to know that, and everyday that passes

without him to clear his name only add to the suspicions of his involvement.....

[Alive]

You have to wonder why the authorities have their initial issue and charge yet they keep looking for more issues to push through the media against the temple. A bit like a vendetta of desperation.

[clockman]

A perfect place to launder money. Is a temple. No transparency, no accounts, and above the law.!

[gandalf12]

You have a monk who thinks he is above the law.

I am untouchable, laughing at justice

What signal does this send to honest law abiding citizens?

If the people believe him, follow him anarchy will reign.

He is being allowed to show that he is above the law. Of course he is laughing at the people and I would assume he considers them to be stupid or he wouldnt still be ignoring the law.

[silent]

You have a monk who thinks he is above the law.

I am untouchable, laughing at justice

What signal does this send to honest law abiding citizens?

If the people believe him, follow him anarchy will reign.

Yes yes a true anarchist in a saffron robe that belongs in an orange jumpsuit because so many more things have come to light to make him look guilty. Especially with one of the latest he should stop resisting arrest and being so vocal before another of his followers is threatened with defamation for expressing something as pragmatic as you might see in Thai Visa.

What signal does that send to the honest law abiding people over what smells like a mushroom garden.

[Junkyarddog]

If I were a monk and got caught breaking the law and was truly afraid of being locked up I know what I would do. I would take off my rob join a Muslim terriost group and immigrate to Germany.

[exalll]

Good to see the Asian two-decimal-place rule being respected by the journalist

It would obviously have been very poor journalism to have reported that 6 % want the DSI to postpone the legal proceedings - the public would have been highly misled, as it was actually 5.84% who believe this.

An inexplicable slip-up though with "8 percent believe the case will result in division in the country". It means I now have to go to the original report to find the correct figure. What a pain!

[ratcatcher]

A perfect place to launder money. Is a temple. No transparency, no accounts, and above the law.!

Just aska da papa in Roma.

[scorecard]

Of course, those who don't belong to the temple are 'real' Buddhists and they know what's best in this story and in Thailand's story. The followers of the temple don't matter because they're aren't Buddhist by their standards. It's the same story as some people these days being real Thais or real patriots. Some Thais know the truth and others are crazy. Why don't these infidels just go abroad before they are all jailed.

Twist, twist, twist again like we did last summer.

[tuanku]

so he can prove his innocence,
There lies the difficulty!

As usual this poll shows some interesting points of view (because of the amateurish way it is compiled or due to poor reporting or both)

The results of the opinion poll are as follows: 51.44 percent want to see the abbot of Wat Dhammakaya enter the judicial process to prove his innocence; So presumably 48.56% don't want him charged? 20.80 percent want to see the DSI speed up the case against Dhammachayo; So almost 80% are happy with the current rate of progress or want it to go slower? 9.36 percent believe Dhammachayo’s resistance against the DSI is politically motivated; So more than 90% believe there is no political motivation behind the resistance? 8 percent believe the case will result in division in the country; 92% believe it will not cause division or will bring the country together?!

[Alive]

Of course, those who don't belong to the temple are 'real' Buddhists and they know what's best in this story and in Thailand's story. The followers of the temple don't matter because they're aren't Buddhist by their standards. It's the same story as some people these days being real Thais or real patriots. Some Thais know the truth and others are crazy. Why don't these infidels just go abroad before they are all jailed.

Twist, twist, twist again like we did last summer.

Last summer?? It's just the age in Thailand for looking down on others with support of government. The 'Thainess' folks who support the current state are also pushing for Buddhism their way. No one will take the stagelight away from their chosen Buddhist leaders or other idols. If you are not with them, they think you are against them.