Buddhists in Nan take a stand against mosque

Muslim residents plan to build a mosque in Nan’s Phu Peang Phiang district, some 2 kilometres from the well-known Buddhist temple of Phra That Chae Haeng.

In January, many Buddhist residents voiced their disagreement, saying there were no Muslim people in their community and they were worried that people from outside would come to use the mosque, which might open the door to problems like those in the deep South. 

People from Buppharam village in Phu Paeng Phiang district had earlier met with Imam Yarin from Lampang province to ask why it was necessary to build a mosque in their area. Village chief Charan San-gnern quoted the imam as saying that Muslim residents in Nan needed a mosque because it was inconvenient for them to travel 130km to pray in Phrae province. 

Nan has a population of about 478,000, and only 60 of them are Muslim, and like many other provinces such as Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan and Sukhothai, it does not have a mosque.

 

Move could go to public hearing 

However, last Tuesday, a group of Muslims met with Nan Deputy Governor Kajphon Erbsuksiri insisting that they needed a mosque for religious services. 

Meanwhile, on Sunday, some 800 Buddhists led by Kraisak Kantha and monk Phra Maha Narongsak, gathered at Wat Phra That Chae Haeng to lodge a petition with provincial authorities demanding that construction of the mosque be stopped. 

Kraisak said the Buddhist residents were not against the Muslim minority or Islam, but objected to provincial authorities allowing the construction of the mosque to go ahead without their consent. 

“The mosque will definitely affect the lives of people living in the area. If the authorities do not stop the project, we will protest again,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Chairat Tharasantisuk, another deputy governor for Nan, said he would consult with the provincial governor, while Phu Peang’s Phiang’s district chief Chanathip Senyaem said he would consult with the Islamic Central Committee of Thailand.

Colonel Chatchawan Kulkusol, deputy director of Nan’s Internal Security Operations Command, said the construction of any building, be it a mosque, a factory or something else, was required by law to undergo a public hearing first. 

“In the case of this mosque, if locals disagree, it should not be constructed. If the Muslim people insist on going ahead with the construction, then it might have an impact on security, social unity and peace, and the consequence of conflict might be far beyond our expectation,” he warned.