Too many temples in los!

Too many temples, Thailand says

Thailand has more than 32,000 temples -- but 5,000 are unused, religious officials say.

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) Thai authorities say the country has a glut of Buddhist temples, and they will seek a change of regulations to curb the construction of new ones.

Suthiwong Tantayaphisalsut, director of the National Buddhist Institute, said Wednesday that Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-Ngam had urged his office to come up with new rules to stem the oversupply, which was due to a building boom.

Wissanu on Tuesday said too many new temples were being built, many in defiance of current regulations decreeing that temples must be at least 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) away from each other.

He said campaigns to build new temples often did not take into account the economic circumstances of poor rural people, who contribute because they believe that giving money helps them earn religious merit.

More than 90 percent of Thailand's 63 million people are Buddhists.

There are more than 32,000 temples nationwide, but more than 5,000 are unused or deserted, Suthiwong told The Associated Press. There are about 500,000 monks and novices in Thailand.

"The building of temples is based on the faith of Buddhists who believe that building the temple makes great merit, but considering the state of the economy, people should think twice," Suthiwong said.

He said his institute would impose stricter rules on building new temples -- although he declined to specify what they might be -- and would advise people to renovate unused and derelict temples instead of building new ones.

Thailand has more than 32,000 temples -- but 5,000 are unused, religious officials say.

- Considering the state of the economy, people should think twice  

-- Suthiwong Tantayaphisalsut, National Buddhist Institute