Ministry reacts to bid in Seoul to seek backing for Dhammakaya
The Foreign Ministry on Monday issued a statement in a bid to clarify movements being made in South Korea to provide support to the Dhammakaya Temple and issued warnings against confronting the Thai government.
The statement came after it was reported that concerns were voiced at the 78th World Fellowship of Buddhist Youth (WFBY) executive board meeting that the government should revoke the order issued under Article 44 to mark the temple as a controlled zone.
The ministry said it was only the president of the meeting, a Thai national, who voiced such concerns in a bid to seek support from international representatives. No specific meetings or press briefings were held to support the controversial temple, the ministry added.
The WFBY also posted a message on Facebook saying thousands of people were praying for the protection of Buddhism in Thailand. The Foreign Ministry countered that while prayers were held on a weekly basis, no specific event has been held as described in the Facebook post.
Thailand’s embassy in Seoul has also issued letters clarifying the matter to Buddhist temples in South Korea, the statement added.
