Supreme Patriarch expresses concerns about temple scandals

By The Nation

 

 

The Supreme Patriarch has expressed worry about reports of scandals at many temples concerning millions of baht in annual donations with concerns that the issue could affect Buddhism in the country, PM’s Office Minister Ormsin Cheevapruk said Thursday.

 

Ormsin, who oversees the National Office of Buddhism, said he had told the Supreme Patriarch that he would do his best to investigate and prevent the scandals from affecting the religion.

 

The government is conducting investigations into the financial dealings of many temples across the country in which donations allegedly ended up in laymen’s hands with the connivance of officials and monks. 

 

At one temple in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, donations were administered by laymen and conflicts over funds reportedly led to the murders of novices.

Meanwhile, authorities have proposed a law to force temples to declare their finances.

 

Sansern Poljiak, secretarygeneral of National Anti-Corruption Committee, said his office’s initial investigation found signs of corruption in 60 to 70 temples in the southern provinces including Songkhla, Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala and Satun, which may have involved government officials.

 

He estimated that the damage from the cases could amount to about Bt90 million.

 

“There are a lot of cases and a review in the investigative processes may be proposed to make the investigation easier and quicker,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said that he would meet the director of National Office of Buddhism on Friday to follow up on the progress of the investigation.

 

“It seems that the scandals have extended, so I wish to know the progress of the investigation and may give some recommendations,” he said.

People involved in the scandals would be held responsible for their crimes, he said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/breakingnews/30318819

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-6-22

honestly

 

 

no kidding

 

the only way to sort this out is for financial accounts to be regulated and tax paid

 

the really sad thing about it is that we are probably looking at the most corrupt organisation in Thailand and it remains unregulated..............go figure

The famous phrase "Trust me we are Thai" is already hard to swallow. However, trusting a Thai monk would be the last thing I would consider.

A fish rots from the head 

Yes, I supposed that! The way we should see the problem was out of an economical point of view.

Not that some take drugs
Not that they sometimes kill eachother.
Not that some steal from the temple and other people

Not that occasionally one is found in a short time hotel with naked girls and LaoKhao

 

All that is only something that creates an economically situation of not getting enough money anymore.

What about conduct, religion, belief and proper respectful behaviour? I guess I am just to old to understand modern way of looking at a religion.

 

Edited June 23, 20179 yr by Get Real

Expresses concern about temple scandals, are people expected to believe that?

Monks scamming temples/people has been going on for many years, so a little bit late to express concern.

What's missing ?

"The Supreme Patriarch has expressed worry about reports of scandals at many temples concerning millions of baht in annual donations with concerns that the issue could affect Buddhism in the country."

 

Maybe I'm just an old cynic, but I was wondering if his true concern was about the continued flow of millions of baht in annual donations. 

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

 

“There are a lot of cases

which we already knew

Whatever happened with that spaceship temple, the oxygen chamber and the invisible monk? I forget...

11 hours ago, smedly said:

honestly

 

 

no kidding

 

the only way to sort this out is for financial accounts to be regulated and tax paid

 

the really sad thing about it is that we are probably looking at the most corrupt organisation in Thailand and it remains unregulated..............go figure

And:

 

- Regulations which define who can / who cannot prepare the financial accounts.

- The prepared financial accounts must bear the full name of the person who prepared the financial accounts and their Thai ID number and an original signature of that person, all displayed where it can easily be seen.  

- Accounts displayed every 3 months on a fixed date at every temple  with full detail, delay not allowed.   

- All on display where followers have easy access and with the previous report also easily available so that followers can compare data etc.

- No attempt by anybody to stop followers from taking smartphone photos etc., is not allowed.

- An e.mail address easily seen where followers can confidentially report any perceived discrepancies and with a guarantee of confidentiality. 

 

well then time he did something about it, easy enough for him to remove those that are involved and administer the temples to ensure it doesnt happen again but so far they have done nothing to stop it.  They claim they are a  law unto themselves yet they are corrupt to the core & out to make money for themselves, if this man is serious he will do something about it thats if he doesnt die mysteriously before hand

A group of untrustworthy individuals managing billions of baht of unaccounted for donations and expenditures all around the country.

And that leads to fraud?

 

Shocking!

Actually, the Supreme Patriarch should be concerned with about 80% of the Thai temples that don't follow the Vinaya and make Buddhism look more like tribute to Animism and Hedge Funds.

Edited June 23, 20179 yr by connda

I am one of the rare westerners who was actually raised Buddhist by my formerly Irish Catholic mother who left that faith when her young sister died and nuns told her the sister was going to hell because she wasn't baptized. I don't recognize Buddhism here in Thailand. For me it is all about balance, looking inward through meditation practices for answers, self responsibility and staying away from unhealthy attachments - the middle path. I was certainly never raised to pray to Lord Buddha to give me things like lottery wins, or to pray at all for that matter. I try to explain this to my wife who is typical Thai when it comes to the Buddhist practice. It falls on deaf ears. I will say though that she strongly believes in making merit and the affects of karma. She has a generous and kind heart and understands compassion for others. I just wish she wasn't so superstitious. This is not part of Buddhism as taught by the Buddha. Probably comes from the animism that seems to get mixed and stirred with Buddhism in Thailand. It makes me sad to see this kind of corruption in the temples but people will be people.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

Did this guy just awake from a coma? Took a while to come to this stunning conclusion. Buddhism is the biggest business in Thailand and many of the abbots know it, growing rich off the backs of poor Thai people who willingly give what little they have because they have been taught that this is making merit. It's disgusting. I've stopped going to temples and had to explain to my Thai girlfriend how I refuse to get on my knees before some Thai man wearing orange robes who could be a criminal.