Dhammakaya Temple
16 Mar 2017
The police have revealed that they have arrested a 14-year-old disciple of the Dhammakaya Temple for protesting against the junta’s use of Section 44 to tighten control around the Dhammakaya complex.
On 15 March 2017, police officers of Khlong Luang Police Station of Pathum Thani Province confirmed to Prachatai that on 8 March they arrested a 14-year-old disciple of Dhammakaya Temple, whose identity is withheld due to privacy concerns.
16 Mar 2017
While the junta thinks that Thai Buddhism will be purified by arresting the former abbot of Wat Dhammakaya, experts point out a lack of secularism and political tolerance is a real threat to the dominant religion.
On 10 March 2016, Chiang Mai Univeristy’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology hosted a seminar “Dhammakaya Crisis, Social Crisis?” The panel discussed the ongoing harassment of Wat Dhammakaya and tried to propose a proper solution for society.
6 Mar 2017
Soldiers and security officers have detained a member of an anti-establishment red shirt group at a market close to the Dhammakaya temple and told him not to enter the area again or risk imprisonment.
On 5 March 2017, officers of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and soldiers apprehended Anurak Jentawanit, a leader of a red shirt group called ‘Ford Red Path’ at Klang Khlong Luang market in Pathum Thani Province.
The market is close to the Dhammakaya temple and is currently used by Dhammakaya monks and disciples as a gathering point.
3 Mar 2017
Security officers have detained an anti-junta political dissident at the Dhammakaya Temple complex.
At 4 pm on 2 March 2017, about 10 soldiers and officers from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) detained taxi driver Phaisan Chantapan, a regular participant anti-junta political activities, at the Dhammakaya Temple in Pathum Thani Province, north of Bangkok.
About two hours later, Phaisan told Prachatai that he had been taken to the Border Patrol Police Region 1 on suspicion of calling on Dhammakaya disciples to come to the temple.
27 Feb 2017
Mahidol University has censured its human rights institute for demanding the junta cease its use of Article 44. The demand came after a follower of the Dhammakaya sect committed suicide to protest the junta’s ongoing harassment of the temple.
23 Feb 2017
Human rights lawyers have called on the junta to cease the use of absolute powers during the ongoing clash between authorities and monks at Wat Dhammakaya.
On 20 February 2017, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) released a statement calling on the military government to cease the use of special powers in its raid of Wat Dhammakaya.
22 Feb 2017
Monks and worshippers of the Dhammakaya sect have staged a protest against orders for the arrest of their spiritual leader, after the authorities blocked them from entering the temple.
On 22 February 2017, Ai Petthong, a representative of Dhammakaya followers, told the media that the authorities have prohibited over a thousand worshippers from entering Dhammakaya temple.
31 May 2016
A pop music event organizer apologized for lampooning the controversial Buddhist sect Dhammakaya at a party Saturday night following threats of legal action by the group.
Even as its headquarters were under siege by law enforcement officers, and its leader wanted on embezzlement charges, the Dhammakaya sect said it was preparing a defamation suit against party organizer Trasher for blasphemy.
2 Mar 2011
About two years ago, Prachatai columnist and university lecturer Surapot Thaweesak met a monk from the Dhammakaya Temple who visited his university to propose a joint Buddhist training programme for students. He was told that his university would have to recruit students to attend the programme and they would be required to pay for Dhamma books and other expenses. However, the temple provided a promotion discount for the expenses if his university decided to join the programme immediately.
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