Sangha stonewalls calls to defrock Dhammachayo
By THE NATION

 

 

Council waits for official notice after king strips him of rank on Saturday

 

BANGKOK: -- THE secretariat of the Sangha Supreme Council (SSC) has dodged calls for it to defrock Phra Dhammachayo, despite him having been stripped of his monastic rank. 

 

SSC secretary-general Boonchert Kittitharangkoon refused to comment yesterday on whether the council should disrobe the controversial monk. He said the top Sangha body would enforce the order to strip Phra Dhammchayo of his monastic rank only after it received an official notice.

 

“We are still waiting for the official notice to arrive,” Boonchert said.

 

On Sunday, the Royal Gazette announced that HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn had stripped Phra Dhammachayo of his elevated monastic rank effective as of Saturday. 

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30308135

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-03-07

 

Something smells here, we are waiting for the official notice.

Maybe more behind this than we know, maybe it could lead to others being exposed and disgraced.

The Royal Gazette is an official notice, that is what it is for.

So where is he TIT

A fascinating power struggle developing.

maybe now we can see why the government has been treating this situation with kid gloves.

 

my ex-Thai girlfriend would go to temple and pray on her knees for a hour.

 

she was REALLY into it.

 

hand her a AK-47?

 

4 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

A fascinating power struggle developing.

If only that were true. 

This is the Power of the Orange Cloth Vs the whole Country.

If you or I were to claim we had not received such a Royal command, we would be instantly charged with 'lese-majeste' and banged up for 15 years.

 

It's amazing how the junta are so terrified of these monks. Obviously much more to this than we on the outside can fully know ...

This is beginning to look like the first serious post-coup fracturing of society under the strain of authoritarianism. The junta is making a big mistake in creating another popular front that can only be contained by further suppression.

Whatever the outcome, this is going to leave a lasting legacy of bitterness.

1 minute ago, ddavidovsky said:

This is beginning to look like the first serious post-coup fracturing of society under the strain of authoritarianism. The junta is making a big mistake in creating another popular front that can only be contained by further suppression.

Whatever the outcome, this is going to leave a lasting legacy of bitterness.

Very wise comments, my friend. The junta are creating more and more enemies for themselves. One day the steam might well burst the stoppered kettle ...

The junta has thrown the proverbial kitchen sink at the temple and had not shaken the resolves of the monk and worshipers. Defrocking will not deter the temple. Maybe the wrong moves by the junta to push them to the brink and left them with no choice but defend with their lives. Someone wants to curb the influence, power and wealth of the temple which is how authoritarian regime works. This typical of regime that has non charismatic leaders and has no legitimacy. Just look up Authoritarianism in Wiki and you will see Thailand listed as examples next to list of authoritarian countries like China, Cuba, Iran and Bahrain.   

It is my understanding that being stripped of rank and disrobed are two different issues. That is, after his ranked is removed, he will still be a monk.