Thai Authorities continue standoff at Buddhist temple

[Grigoris]

Thai Authorities continue standoff at Buddhist temple.

BANGKOK —

The Thai military government, in a test of political resolve, is in a standoff with monks from an influential Buddhist temple that has placed religious politics at the center of national debate.

The Wat Phra Dhammakaya temple complex, located 50 kilometers north of Bangkok, covers 336 hectares, has a series of buildings and meditation centers reportedly worth an estimated $10 billion.

Authorities are searching for the temple's abbot, who has eluded arrest on charges related to millions of dollars in embezzled funds that were donated to the temple.

[gescom]

Yes, forget being a CEO, being an Abbot is where the money is..

There was also this story concerning wildlife trafficking, the mistreatment of tigers and monks beings arrested (at a separate temple / tourist attraction):

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-24/t ... ue/8301812

[MiphamFan]

Dhammakaya is the Thai Buddhist equivalent of evangelical megachurches IIRC. Dhammawheel probably knows more.

[crazy-man]

Wat Dhammakaya
https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=339

DSI presses charges against Dhammakaya spokesman
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general ... es-charges

Temple siege heightens, both sides strengthen positions
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crime/1 ... -positions

[jet.urgyen]

i've been thinking, to the maffias it is very easy to infiltrate idiots among the monkhood. now i wonder who this abbot really is..

[Grigoris]

i've been thinking, to the maffias it is very easy to infiltrate idiots among the monkhood. now i wonder who this abbot really is..

How much can you believe about what they say about him? The problem is that the mainstream Theravada community (mainly the leaders of the mainstream Theravada community) are all up in arms about this organisation because it is stealing their fan base (and by extension their $$$). Right now the mainstream Theravada community is working in collusion with the military junta in order to try and destroy Dhammakaya and reduce its popularity. This, of course, means that the mainstream media are also playing the game. Dhammakaya has it's own satellite channel so...

How much is politics and power, and how much of the issue is Dhamma?

[tingdzin]

The figure in question seems to be either a fraud or else one of the greatest siddhas of all time. On his TV show, he is always making pronouncements about how he can instantly see the past lives of others, and perform other such extraordinary acts. There are not a few monks in Thailand who claim this on some level or other, but he has become large enough to get onto the radar of the authorities, and has accumulated vast tax-free wealth into the bargain. He is also rumored to be closely attached to the former Prime Minister (also fabulously wealthy) who is currently living in Dubai to avoid (thoroughly justified) corruption charges.

Historically, the Central government in Bangkok, no matter who it happens to be, has periodically intervened in sangha affairs whenever they judge certain monks to be a threat to the authority of the state. They have never resorted to violence against protesting monks, though, as the government of Myanmar has.