58-year-old woman injured when monks battle police, DSI officials

[webfact]

58-year-old woman injured when monks battle police, DSI officials
By The Nation

 

 

BANGKOK: -- A 58-year-old woman was injured when she fell and was stepped on during a tussle between Dhammakaya Temple monks and police Monday morning.

 

At 8:20 am, monks were seen aggressively advancing toward lines of police and officials from the Department of Special Investigation blocking a small road that leads to Gate 5 and 6.

 

The monks apparently tried to pressure the officials to leave the road and stop the blockage so that more laymen followers of the temple could join those inside the compound in a prolonged battle to prevent officials from continuing the search for elusive former abbot Phra Dhammachayo.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/breakingnews/30306740

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-02-20

[harrry]

I hope they arrest her and anyone else that tries to enter the temple or refuse to leave.  It may not be politic to arrest a monk but a few  thousand lay persons would not cause a problem.  I think if they all got a year in jail for refusing to leave...and more for assulting the police there would soon be few people left.

[cliveshep]

A few THOUSAND Harry? I thought Thai jails were already overcrowded? What about the cost of care for them? Come to that isn't it all part of Religious Freedom granted to all religions in the Kingdom? Do you really want what Human Rights there still are here to be further eroded?

 

They may be misguided, probably are, but as they see it they are supporting their religious leader, even if he is a criminal. Locking them up for a year is overkill surely?

[rkidlad]

I think Thailand should be taken to The Hague for bringing Buddhism into disrepute. Sorry, it's just nice to play the sanctimonious card, too. They're right - it does boost a fragile ego. 

[mtls2005]

Wow. Definitely an impressive PR/PsyOps campaign underway, at least in English-language press.

[webfact]

Scuffles break out as DSI begins searching the temple today

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Hundreds of Dhammachayo's followers erected barricades to defend Dhammakaya temple as several hundred police, soldiers and officials of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) were trying to enter the temple at Gate 5 and 6 to search for the stubborn monk.

 

Scuffles broke out as the combined force moved in, resulting in several followers and authorities slightly injured.

 

Klong Luang police advised all motorists to avoid all roads passing the Dhammakaya temple and Klong Luang as traffic was reported to be very congested as authorities are confronting the followers at several gates of the temple.

 

Traffic on Nong Sua to Klong Luang road is reported to be at standstill with several kilometre long of vehicles lining along the road immovable.

 

The operation today was the fifth day but failed to locate Phra Dhammachayo.

 

Meanwhile all 14 senior monks who were summoned to turn themselves in to the DSI at Klong Luang police station on order issued under Section 44 ignored the order as the deadline for them ended 6 pm yesterday.

 

Failure to report themselves is subject to one year imprisonment.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/scuffles-break-dsi-begins-searching-temple-today/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-02-20

[canopus1969]

CS gas and rubber bullets should sort out the mob 

[funandsuninbangkok]

That stubborn monk!

 

I twawt I saw a putty cat!

 

I did!!! I did saw a putty cat!!!!

[harrry]

1 hour ago, cliveshep said:

A few THOUSAND Harry? I thought Thai jails were already overcrowded? What about the cost of care for them? Come to that isn't it all part of Religious Freedom granted to all religions in the Kingdom? Do you really want what Human Rights there still are here to be further eroded?

 

They may be misguided, probably are, but as they see it they are supporting their religious leader, even if he is a criminal. Locking them up for a year is overkill surely?

not much cost of care in a Thai jail.  Family has to send support.  Room 40 people one cup of rice and some fish head soup once a day.

And this is especially for supporting terrorism by a religeous congregation.

Edited February 20, 2017 by harrry

[tukkytuktuk]

A twitter user tweeted:-
SOS we need help at Wat Phra dhammakayatemple

Latest photos:-

[tukkytuktuk]

No Thai government wants to end up in a situation where monks are getting carted away by police or soldier's. The junta is in a very tricky situation.

[AGareth2]

there wasn't a problem in Burma

[nikmar]

11 minutes ago, tukkytuktuk said:

No Thai government wants to end up in a situation where monks are getting carted away by police or soldier's. The junta is in a very tricky situation.

 

Very true, but conversely, do they want to be seen to be given the run around by a single monk and his followers? Tricky is an understatement.

[darksidedog]

"Meanwhile the DSI was giving protection to a senior monk after he decided to come out on order of authorities.

The defected monk reported to tell authorities that Phra Dhammachayo has already sneaked out of the temple since February 16. He was accompanied by his aids and doctors.

The defected  monk said he could never return to the temple again after his disclosure.

DSI chief Pol Col Phaisit Wongmuang did neither deny nor confirm the monk’s disclosure but said DSI has information already."

 

If they have information that Phra Dhammachayo has done a runner already, why are there still thousands of police and army there?

Wouldn't they be better off spread around the countryside looking for him elsewhere, thus preventing more injuries to all sides?

 

[webfact]

Scuffles at Thai temple as police hunt for monk

By Cod Satrusayang and Aukkaraporn Niyomyat

 

Dhammakaya temple Buddhist monks scuffle with police after they defied police orders to leave the temple grounds to enable police to seek out their former abbot in Pathum Thani, Thailand February 20, 2017. REUTERS/Stringer

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Monks and police scuffled on Monday at a Buddhist temple in Thailand where security forces are trying to arrest an influential former abbot on money-laundering charges.

 

The standoff at the scandal-hit Dhammakaya Temple represents one of the biggest challenges to the authority of Thailand's junta since it took power in 2014.

 

Police said they would try to avoid violence while threatening arrest for followers of the sprawling temple who have defied orders to leave and instead flocked there, hampering the search for 72-year-old Phra Dhammachayo.

 

With tension rising four days after the military government ordered emergency powers to be used in the search, monks and police pushed and shoved at one of the temple gates.

 

A Reuters photographer said there were no serious injuries.

 

The widespread belief that the temple has links to the populist government ousted by the army in 2014, and a brasher brand of Buddhism than the conservative traditions of king and army, make the temple a thorn in the side of the establishment.

 

The temple claims millions of followers and, in a country that is 95 percent Buddhist, assaults on saffron-robed monks are taboo.

 

"We are going to do all we can to avoid physical and violent confrontations. The searches will continue and we will ask for cooperation from the temple," said Suriya Singhakamol, deputy director general of the Department of Special Investigations.

 

"Worshippers coming into the temple from the surrounding areas should turn back. We are asking for people to not come in as they would be breaking the law and facing arrest," he said.

 

Most police taking part in the search at the temple, on the outskirts of Bangkok, are not armed. Thailand's largest temple, it covers some 1,000 acres (400 hectares).

 

The government used what critics call "the dictator's law" on Thursday to let police search the Dhammakaya Temple after months of failing to get it to hand over Phra Dhammachayo.

 

He faces charges of conspiracy to launder money and receive stolen goods, as well as taking over land unlawfully to build meditation centres. His aides dismiss the accusations as politically motivated.

 

Police declined to comment on a report in the Bangkok Post newspaper that Phra Dhammachayo escaped the monastery on the first day of the search.

 

Although the temple has no overt political affiliation, the abbot is widely believed to have had links with populist former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was overthrown in 2006. A government led by Thaksin's sister was toppled by the army in 2014.

 

Slogans scrawled by disciples on makeshift cardboard placards in Thai and English also showed the politicisation of the standoff.

 

(Writing by Matthew Tostevin; Editing by Paul Tait)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-02-20

[scorecard]

And as usual the foreign press agency doesn't quite give & avoids the correct details / doesn't include other relevant details which would provide well balanced coverage of the situation. 

Edited February 20, 2017 by scorecard

[mettech]

I do not know much about monks but my dead father in law escape  his priority and left 7 kids and wife to become a monk what is wrong with these people???

They go on their knees in front of these imposters and it said they represent Boudha I don't think so.

So now monks respect are well off with me.

[kiwikeith]

6 hours ago, harrry said:

I hope they arrest her and anyone else that tries to enter the temple or refuse to leave.  It may not be politic to arrest a monk but a few  thousand lay persons would not cause a problem.  I think if they all got a year in jail for refusing to leave...and more for assulting the police there would soon be few people left.

So much for peacefulness taught by Monks

[nahkit]

4 hours ago, darksidedog said:

"Meanwhile the DSI was giving protection to a senior monk after he decided to come out on order of authorities.

The defected monk reported to tell authorities that Phra Dhammachayo has already sneaked out of the temple since February 16. He was accompanied by his aids and doctors.

The defected  monk said he could never return to the temple again after his disclosure.

DSI chief Pol Col Phaisit Wongmuang did neither deny nor confirm the monk’s disclosure but said DSI has information already."

 

If they have information that Phra Dhammachayo has done a runner already, why are there still thousands of police and army there?

Wouldn't they be better off spread around the countryside looking for him elsewhere, thus preventing more injuries to all sides?

 

Probably they want more proof than one monk coming out and telling them he's not there.

[fruitman]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

monks were seen aggressively advancing toward lines of police

 

Thailand only krab....

[Fookhaht]

Such brilliant hi-tech crowd control measures: shouting and shoving. What a circus.

Video...
http://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2017/02/20/cops-monks-clash-wat-dhammakaya/


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[FredNL]

7 hours ago, rkidlad said:

I think Thailand should be taken to The Hague for bringing Buddhism into disrepute. Sorry, it's just nice to play the sanctimonious card, too. They're right - it does boost a fragile ego. 

Thailand has signed but not ratified this Statute. With other words Thailand can't brought to trial.

[rkidlad]

4 minutes ago, FredNL said:

Thailand has signed but not ratified this Statute. With other words Thailand can't brought to trial.

I was being facetious in playing the holier than thou card. 

[scorecard]

23 minutes ago, nahkit said:

Probably they want more proof than one monk coming out and telling them he's not there.

 

Take a look at the placards being held up by the monks and followers, several in English.

 

Some of the comments on the placards are just dishonest.

 

Plenty of other incidents where comments from within the space ship have proven to be untrue.

 

Seems to me, on-going, that the RTP, DSI, whatever should not believe any comments from monks / administration people of the space ship, and should continue to try to establish the real facts.

[IMA_FARANG]

I have seen on Thai television news shots of what appear to be monks approaching news reporters filming outside that  Wat  to deliberately block the video cameras of the reporters.

Clearly it looked to be an intentional act.

 

 

[scorecard]

3 minutes ago, IMA_FARANG said:

I have seen on Thai television news shots of what appear to be monks approaching news reporters filming outside that  Wat  to deliberately block the video cameras of the reporters.

Clearly it looked to be an intentional act.

 

 

 

Just wondering who is winding up these monks and the followers?

[natway09]

It is unfortunate but the Monks have taken a lesson from other religions on how

to steal monies from the poor in the name of their God

[Moonmoon]

If u were a leader of a group or sect of ppl, then when the authorities come, u should step out 1st n stand in front of your disciples n protect them from any harm. Not that I am a Christian, but at least in the bible Jesus stood out n protected all his disciples n gave himself up when Judas betrayed him.

Any leader that hides behind his followers n not lead by example is not worth following.

I remember during my army training when we had to disembark from the helicopter, the top ranking officer always has to alight 1st even in enemy fire n lead his man out to battle.

[tukkytuktuk]

 

[Get Real]

Talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time. 58 year old and in the middle of a fight with the police. Not so wise decision.