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| Almost 300 foreign monks live in tents at Wat Talom in Bangkok’s Phasicharoen district where six Burmese monks, a Mon monk and a Cambodian novice were arrested on charges of illegal entry to the country last week. TAWATCHAI KEMGUMNERD |
While many saffron-robed foreigners are genuinely interested in studying religion, some are entering Thailand illegally to beg for money from the public
26/03/2011
Supoj Wancharoen
Bangkok Post
The presence of more than 300 foreign Buddhists at a Bangkok temple has raised concerns that some might be bogus monks begging for money and preying on people.
Officers from the Immigration Bureau, Thammasala police station and the National Buddhism Bureau inspected Wat Talom in Phasicharoen district early on March 17 following complaints that hundreds of foreign monks had sought shelter at the temple.
The team found about 300 monks and novices from various countries such as Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos and Burma living in tents on the temple grounds.
Many had entered the country legally, with some carrying tourist visas and some using foreign students' visas.
Eight, including six Burmese monks, one ethnic Mon monk and one Cambodian novice, failed to produce travel documents and ordination certificates.
The eight were defrocked and sent to the Immigration Bureau on illegal entry charges.
Pol Col Chartchai Iamsaeng, deputy commander of the Immigration Bureau's investigation centre, who led the inspection, said members of the public had complained that many monks, thought not to be Thai nationals, lived in the temple and some went out in the afternoon to collect alms, which was against Buddhist teaching.
Phra Maha Boontheung Chutinatharo, abbot of Wat Talom, said the foreign monks had entered the country legally to study dhamma and some wanted to visit Thailand.
Many monks from overseas wanted to study here as Thailand was known for its Buddhism studies. "Residents living near the temple might not be aware that many monks staying at the temple are foreign monks who entered the country to study Buddhist teachings," said the abbot.
"Those foreign monks do not have the same custom of completing their alms-collecting by 10am, the way we do."
Nopparat Benjawattananan , director of the National Buddhism Bureau (NBB), said 1,057 foreign monks sought permission from his office to live in the kingdom last year.
Most came from Cambodia with 279, followed by Bangladesh 264, Nepal 131, Burma 104, Laos 46, China 34, Malaysia 33, Vietnam 29, the United States, 23, and Indonesia 18. The rest were from other countries, he said.
Thailand's reputation as a haven for Buddhist studies had opened the way for gangs to enter the country under the guise of being foreign monks, said the NBB director.
A source said Singapore and Malaysia had also grappled with problems of bogus monks begging for money.
Mr Nopparat said the NBB could not control foreign monks who had not registered with his agency.
Bogus monks had entered the country using tourist visas.
The NBB did not know how many foreign monks had entered the country. Foreigners wanting to study at Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University or Mahamakut Buddhist University could directly seek permission from those two Buddhist universities.
Mr Nopparat said he would invite representatives from the two universities to discuss the registration of foreign monks with his agency to ensure better controls.
Kai (real name withheld), 40, who lives near Wat Talom, said most foreign monks had left the temple following news reports about their presence.
However, he believed some of the monks were still staying in the country, begging for money.
He said they would probably return to the temple after news about them faded away.
"The problem started about 10 years ago when the temple changed abbots," he said.
Boonchai Chuecharnwong, a businessman in Bang Bua Thong area, condemned those who wore saffron robes to exploit Buddhism.
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Monastic police patrol city
Many people know the city administration is responsible for ensuring the safety of Bangkok residents. Its city inspectors or thetsakit officials are assigned to help police guard the city.
But only a few people know about the monastic police whose task is to protect Buddhism.
The National Buddhism Bureau formed a group of officials to monitor the wayward activities of Buddhist monks in Bangkok and surrounding provinces a long time ago.
The monastic police look for monks who fail to adhere to their vows or are involved in disciplinary or legal wrongdoing and report their misconduct to the bureau. The bureau will alert the police, who apprehend the monks, said Udom Songkhajorn, a bureau official.
There are about 15 monastic police officers in Bangkok. The officials are divided into four teams.
The duties of the monastic police are similar to those of thetsakit officials as they have no authority to make arrests. They only pass on information as whistleblowers.
Monks accused of breaching Buddhist teachings or involved in wrongdoing will be investigated by a panel of monks. If there is a basis to the accusation, the monks will be defrocked.
Mr Udom said cases against wayward monks in the provinces would be handled by provincial Buddhism offices.
5 comments:
Koh Tral Island must not be forgotten
By Ms. Rattana Keo
Why do Koh Tral Island, known in Vietnam as Phu Quoc, a sea and land area covering proximately over 10,000 km2 [Note: the actual land size of Koh Tral itself is 574 square kilometres (222 sq miles)] have been lost to Vietnam by whose treaty? Why don’t Cambodia government be transparent and explain to Cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?
Cambodian armies are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 on the Thai border and what's about over 10,000km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian armies you are decide the fate of your nation, Cambodian army as well as Cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?
Koh Tral Island, the sea and land area of over 10,000 square kilometres have been lost to Vietnam by the 1979 to 1985 treaties. The Cambodian army at front line as well as all Cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are Cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protecting a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group but disguising as protecting the Khmer nation?
The Cambodian army at front lines suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition and their families have no health care assistance, no securities after they died but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning system with message from young girls, have first class medical care from oversea medical treatments, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make the Cambodian people suffer everyday.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that resulted in the loss over 10,000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why they are not being transparent and brave enough to inform all Cambodians and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't they include Koh Tral (Koh Tral size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen and bigger than Singapore [Note: Singapore's present land size is 704 km2 (271.8 sq mi)]) with heap of great natural resources, in the Cambodian education system?
Look at Hun Sen's families, relatives and friends- they are billionaires, millionaires. Where did they get the money from when we all just got out of war with empty hands [in 1979]? Hun Sen always say in his speeches that Cambodia had just risen up from the ashes of war, just got up from Year Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% of innocent Cambodian people are so poor and struggling with their livelihood every day?
Smart Khmer girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
Ah La Thailande !
Les moines , on les respecte comme dieu !
Maintenant les immigrations des moines ! pourtant les enfants de Bouddha , en principe , ne sont pas là pour les intérêts ou richesses personnelles.On voit que même dans le domaine de la religion (NOTRE BOUDDHISME), il n'y a rien à faire dans ce pays pourri.
Les vrais moines ne doivent pas mettre les pieds dans ce pays.
Mais s'ils existent des moines qui portent les safrans pour les intérêts personnels , qu'ils quittent notre religion.
De toute façon , les vrais moines n'ont rien à faire dans ce pays .La Thailande n'est pas la base du Bouddhisme.
Lors de la manifestation des Chemises Jaunes , on a remarqué la présence des moines thailandais , dans le rang des PAD .
Qu'est-ce qu'ils font de la politique ces représentants religieux ! ce n'est pas l'image du Bouddhisme !
រដ្ឋាភិបាលសៀមសព្វថ្ងៃជាពួកទមិឡប្រឆាំងព្រះ
ពុទ្ធសាសនា។
ដូចជាការបាញ់បំផ្លាញបា្រសាទព្រះវិហារនិងវត្តកែវ
សិក្ខាគីរីស្វារៈជាឧទាហរណ៏ស្រាប់។
The monks should listen,love,and obey the Buddha words that people called them monks;but some yellow robe monks do not follow Dharma,Buddha principles that they do call monks.These kinds of bad believers have had in other religions too,not just in Buddhism.
"The good deeds get good deeds,but the evil deeds get evil deeds"the Buddha said.
Correction:;but some yellow robe monks do not follow Dharma,Buddha principles,they do not call monks.
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