Thai Buddhist monks rally to damand Buddhism as state religion

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Bangkok, Apr 26 (UNI) Hundreds of saffron-robed Buddhist monks, accompanied by lay supporters, rallied outside the Thai Parliament building here today demanding that the nation's majority Buddhist faith be declared the state's religion.

The demonstration, which started yesterday, was timed with the unveiling of the first draft of Thailand's new Constitution meant to replace the 1997 charter that was torn up by leaders of the September 19, 2006 military coup.

An influential section of the Buddhist clergy has stepped up pressure demanding national religion status for the faith after the Constitution Drafting Panel appointed by the military regime rejected their demand.

Although more than 90 per cent of Thailand's over 60 million people practise the faith, Buddhism has not been given special recognition by the 17 constitutions the country has had so far.

The only recognition has been the stipulation in all earlier constitutions that the King as head of state should be a Buddhist and should respect and protect all religions.

The rallying monks plan to submit a petition with their demands to the Constitution Drafting Assembly which received the first draft of the country's basic law from the constitution drafting panel today.

However, the demand for national religion status for Buddhism has come under fire from the media and some religious commentators.

'' Having Buddhism enshrined in the new charter as the state religion of Thailand will do nothing good for the religion, which is badly in need of long overdue reforms. We haven't heard any intelligible argument from these so-called Buddhists on how they propose to reverse what is widely seen as the precipitous decline of Buddhism in Thailand,'' Bangkok's English language daily The Nation said.

'' Buddhism has for centuries been so closely interwined with the development of our national identity and a culture of tolerance that has fostered prosperity and peaceful coexistence with citizens from different ethnic groups and religious faiths,'' the newspaper said.

Political observers have linked the unprecedented vocal demand by the clergy for national religious status for Buddhism to the spiraling militant violence in the Muslim-majority southern border provinces of Thailand.

The draft charter, following its finalisation after public hearings, will be put to a first ever referendum in September.

If rejected, the military rulers can select any of the previous 17 constitutions as the country's 18th Constitution.

The first draft of the new Constitution, announced last week, has been criticised by political and civil society groups for giving excessive power to the military and bureaucracy.

UNI

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