Suicide won't stop raid under Article 44, junta chief says

[webfact]

Suicide won't stop raid under Article 44, junta chief says

By Sasiwan Mokkhasen, Staff Reporter

 

  

Monks and protesters pray Sunday evening for Anawat Thanacharoennat, 64, who committed suicide to protest the use of Article 44 to besiege Wat Dhammakaya. A banner displayed at the gathering refers to him as a hero of Buddhism.

 

PATHUM THANI — One day after a man publicly hanged himself in protest, the junta chief insisted Sunday it was necessary to use his absolute power to continue the siege of Wat Dhammakaya.

 

Responding to Saturday night’s suicide, junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha said it was necessary to use Article 44 of the junta’s constitution to allow officers to act with legal impunity as the laws had proved ineffective to bring to justice the sect’s former abbot, who is wanted on money laundering and other charges.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2017/02/26/suicide-wont-stop-raid-article-44-junta-chief-says/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2017-02-27

[Lannig]

Is Thailand headed towards a local remake of Waco?

Does this seem completely unlikely to you guys? not to me anymore, the followers are so heavily brainwashed.

 

I find it impossible to feel the slightest sympathy for either of the two opposed parties here.

Edited February 26, 2017 by Lannig

[webfact]

PM insists on Article 44
By THE NATION

 

About 300 monks, above, stage a protest at Dhammakaya Temple calling on the government to stop exercising power under Article 44 of the interim charter in dealing with the temple.

 

Minister voices concern about faith-based abuses causing misunderstanding after suicide near temple.

 

BANGKOK: -- PRIME Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha expressed his condolences yesterday over the death of a 64-year-old man who hanged himself near Dhammakaya Temple. But the PM insisted that Article 44 needed to be used to maintain control at the temple – as the task was “beyond the power” of ordinary laws.

 

 “I’m saddened by the death but the order is necessary to curb bad people who can’t be dealt with via normal laws. Many may see the order as not being effective. Or maybe that the NCPO (National Council for Peace and Order) is not trustworthy or unable to control the situation,” Prayut said.

 

His comments came after Anawat Thanacharernnut hung himself from a high-rise radio antenna in an apparent protest against the siege at the controversial temple.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30307343

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-02-27

[ezzra]

The loyalty of any Thai, be a lay man or monk, is first and foremost with king and country

followed by law in order, all other affiliations are last,

should the government capitulate to the warring  Wat Dhammakaya leaders and

followers, that will be the day they will lose the battle and there will be no stopping

them from expending to country within a country,

beside, self immolation of monks  look much better on TV than hanging....

[yellowboat]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

bad people who can’t be dealt with via normal laws.

This statement is profoundly worrying considering that the courts are politically driven. 

[RBOP]

Jones Town begins.

[mtls2005]

It seems like this is now about a great deal more than arresting an Abbot?

 

I wonder what that could be? And why?

 

Maybe best not to ask too many questions.

[whatawonderfulday]

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

The loyalty of any Thai, be a lay man or monk, is first and foremost with king and country

followed by law in order, all other affiliations are last,

should the government capitulate to the warring  Wat Dhammakaya leaders and

followers, that will be the day they will lose the battle and there will be no stopping

them from expending to country within a country,

beside, self immolation of monks  look much better on TV than hanging....

Loyalty of Thais is to the holy Baht, first and foremost.  Anything thing else is secondary.

[tominbkk]

hero of Buddhism?  Riggggghhhhhhhtttttttt.......

[LennyW]

8 minutes ago, whatawonderfulday said:

Loyalty of Thais is to the holy Baht, first and foremost.  Anything thing else is secondary.

And that includes the monks/temples...just a money machine!!

[cardinalblue]

Ezza...

 

your intent to summarize on why thailand has such major management problems is because they don't know who is on first...need a new set of priorities...

 

if law and order (I think you mean this) existed as priority #1, one wouldn't have these unbelievable problems that plagues thailand daily...

 

wouldn't have stupid comments like need something above normal laws to rule...

 

rule by existing laws and enforced them properly and with due diligence....

Edited February 27, 2017 by cardinalblue

[smotherb]

1 hour ago, whatawonderfulday said:

Loyalty of Thais is to the holy Baht, first and foremost.  Anything thing else is secondary.

And, you think Thais love money any more than the average citizen of any country in the world?

[Srikcir]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Responding to Saturday night’s suicide, junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha said it was necessary to use Article 44 of the junta’s constitution to allow officers to act with legal impunity as the laws had proved ineffective to bring to justice the sect’s former abbot, who is wanted on money laundering and other charges.

Fairly well summarizes the rule of law in Thailand now - It is whenever and whatever the junta says it is.

If the laws are ineffective, the junta-appointed NLA can repeal, amend or create laws. But understanding that the NLA works solely at the pleasure of Prayut and not to the Thai electorate, he effectively "cuts to the chase" to bypass his rubber stamp institution.

 

[sweatalot]

Suicide of their followers would be either a tactical weapon from the Dammakaya people. (Examples from other sects are well known)

or action of some psychos among their followers

The Dammakaya people would be  responsible for both kind of victims. Kind of "living shield" known from IS or other criminal organizations

stopping because of them would not be helpful.

 

Edited February 27, 2017 by sweatalot

[whatawonderfulday]

Suicide on a mass scale will never happen without more encouragement !!

[realenglish1]

If that was the case then the  Abbott would be immune  during normal times

I just don't buy this argument 

 

 

[KKr]

I still fail to understand why people that interfere with the course of justice i.e. the police doing their work being in this case bringing in a crime suspect, are not arrested.

I guess there is no need for an article 44 to do this.
 

[Stargeezr]

This criminal incident is a Thailand incident. Why are any of you trying to make it

similar to any of the USA nut job, incidents?  No monks were involved in the US.

The US military and law enforcers had their own problems with Waco, and the other

incidents in the US. Thailand will eventually get a conclusion to this one, if they

keep treating it as a criminal event, and keep the pressure on until they eventually

locate this formor abbott.  Put a price on his head, and keep increasing a bit every day until he

is ratted out.

Geezer

[Eric Loh]

1 minute ago, KKr said:

I still fail to understand why people that interfere with the course of justice i.e. the police doing their work being in this case bringing in a crime suspect, are not arrested.

I guess there is no need for an article 44 to do this.
 

Article 44 is excessive and preventing food into the temple is inhuman. 

[mtls2005]

7 minutes ago, KKr said:

I still fail to understand why people that interfere with the course of justice i.e. the police doing their work being in this case bringing in a crime suspect, are not arrested.

I guess there is no need for an article 44 to do this.
 

 

There may be more to this situation, but then it may be best if you didn't really try to understand what's really going on.

 

This is isn't about embezzlement, or whatever the "authorities" are telling you today.

 

This is about eliminating this sect of Buddhism in Thailand once and for all. But don't ask why, or for additional details.

[fruitman]

2 hours ago, smotherb said:

And, you think Thais love money any more than the average citizen of any country in the world?

Chai kapiii

[Krataiboy]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

 

There may be more to this situation, but then it may be best if you didn't really try to understand what's really going on.

 

This is isn't about embezzlement, or whatever the "authorities" are telling you today.

 

This is about eliminating this sect of Buddhism in Thailand once and for all. But don't ask why, or for additional details.

An riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. I shan't sleep tonight.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, Eric Loh said:

Article 44 is excessive and preventing food into the temple is inhuman. 

 

How is stopping food going into the temple grounds inhuman? If the supporters are hungry all they have to do is walk outside and give their business to the local people living around the temple.

 

Nobody is stopping them from doing that at all.

 

It could be considered inhuman if the police and military who have surrounded the compound had locked it down allowing nobody and nothing to enter or leave but that is not so in this case.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

 

There may be more to this situation, but then it may be best if you didn't really try to understand what's really going on.

 

This is isn't about embezzlement, or whatever the "authorities" are telling you today.

 

This is about eliminating this sect of Buddhism in Thailand once and for all. But don't ask why, or for additional details.

 

 

Why are you not prepared to give additional details but you expect people to accept YOUR words as the real thing without any attempt to provide ANY details, links or proof? Are you offering an "alternative truth" perhaps?

[billd766]

14 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

An riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. I shan't sleep tonight.

 

I will sleep well tonight.

[elgordo38]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Many may see the order as not being effective. Or maybe that the NCPO (National Council for Peace and Order) is not trustworthy or unable to control the situation,” Prayut said.

 

Somebody's conscience is bothering him or the spinal transplant is taking hold.

[elgordo38]

7 hours ago, ezzra said:

The loyalty of any Thai, be a lay man or monk, is first and foremost with king and country

followed by law in order, all other affiliations are last,

should the government capitulate to the warring  Wat Dhammakaya leaders and

followers, that will be the day they will lose the battle and there will be no stopping

them from expending to country within a country,

beside, self immolation of monks  look much better on TV than hanging....

Yes expanding to a country within a country is a real danger. Budda would of course be a better option than article 44. As I see it there is the fear of the after life and a swarm of locusts and cockroaches overrunning the land. The competition for food would then obviously become very intense. Watch out here comes a size 12

[bannork]

Every year before  the birthday of the abbot at Wat Thammakai on April 22nd invitations are sent out  to approx 30,000 temples throughout Thailand inviting monks to the birthday celebrations at Wat Thammakai.

The monks  are given money,  the amount depending on their rank. 

Whilst a novice  may only receive 500 baht, the amount increases with importance from  a tambon chief monk  to a district  chief monk to a regional chief monk, right up to members of the Supreme Sangha Council.

The handouts can be up to a million baht.

[elgordo38]

Easy general don't stir up the orange hornets. 

[williamgeorgeallen]

4 hours ago, whatawonderfulday said:

Suicide on a mass scale will never happen without more encouragement !!

and some cool-aid.