Thais protest Buddha statue in German art display
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Thai Buddhists protested Tuesday against the use of a Buddha statue in an art installation in southern Germany, saying the exhibition was disrespectful.
About 15 members of the World Fellowship of Buddhists marched outside the German embassy in Bangkok, waving banners in English,Thai and German saying "Stop disrespecting Buddha," "Buddha is not an art object," and "Buddha's image is not furniture."
The statue, displayed in a market square in Munich, is of a large gold-coloured sitting Buddha tipped onto its back, and has reportedly been climbed on and photographed in inappropriate ways.
The fellowship's Thai chairman, Pornchai Pinyapong, demanded that the German government put pressure on the art gallery that organised the display to take it down.//DPA
