DSI, the police, and the army tried to search the temple. They got the warrant. They threaten the temple in many ways including psychological war. They thought that the temple followers would abandon the temple. In contrary, the more they were threatened, the more the followers came. DSI had come to a dead end. So the military government decided to use Article 44 to deal with one monk and one temple. Wow!. The temple is not a warzone! I think DSI forgets that this is just to deliver a charge to the abbot for the case of accepting property from thief and money laundering. This is not a war.
The temple reached a mutual agreement with DSI allowing the authorities to search the temple for three days. There were thousands of DSI, police officers and police canines searching every building inside the temple all day and all night. (On a side note, these dogs are very cute. I heard that each dog cost 6 millions baht.) They didn’t let the temple know where they would search. Wherever they suspected a hiding place, such as a tunnel or secret room, they checked them all. Mr. Mano Laohavanich gave them leads on where to check. Nothing was found. The officer signed the paper confirming that they did not find any target, drug, weapon or illegal object inside the temple. This was supposed to be the end of the story but it’s not.
The next day, they announced that monks and laypeople who were not directly involved with this matter needed to leave the temple so they could search the temple again. DSI broke their mutual agreement that they made with the temple. So temple people started to think that since they built this temple, they are directly involved. It’s DSI and others that are not directly involved with this matter. It is very true.
The battle has been going on for 11 days now. It is time that temple people stand up to the military law, Article 44. Temple people would rather die instead of letting the government destroy their temple and Buddhism. The military government still insists that the temple breaks the law. Each side has their own view and story.
Today the military government mobilizes more forces from the police and the army to the temple. I don’t know why they want to defeat their own people who are also Thai. I don’t think it’s the right way to go.
The commander in chief of the Army stated that he did not want any violence. The commander in chief of Police also stated the same. They both let DSI take the lead and be the responsible party. (In my opinion DSI couldn’t find someone else to bear this responsibility as wished. This is too heavy of a responsibility)
I don’t know how it is going to end. I know that both sides will lose. The country is like a patient who has incurable disease. Society is like a cracked glass about to shatter. The separation may be near: Nation, religion, or society. Nothing will be the same as it was.
Imagine that we use the law as our standard instead of letting desire cloud our judgment.
Government, please use the law of the land (not military law) and let the temple have a fair trial on court. It doesn’t matter how long it’s going to take or how many courts the temple has to go through, let them do it.
DSI don’t hasten these more critical cases. DSI has given more time to other more critical cases. This is a case that is considered non-critical. DSI does not need to put such huge effort and resources into this case.
About the accusation of the abbot regarding the teaching and the bragging about miraculous competence, in the letter from the head of Sangha the abbot was not found guilty by monastic discipline and monastic law. According to Law, this case is already closed. Please accept it, people. You professors, singers, movie stars and famous people please take your time to comprehend and accept the ruling according to monastic discipline and monastic law.
If I have to choose between politics that depends on military law and Buddhism that our ancestors have carefully preserved and passed on to us, I’ll choose the latter.
Politics and laws change all the time depending on many factors. Buddhism is the root of our Thai society.
Please stop. I am sick and tired of this current evil cycle in Thailand.