Sangha Council bans monks from joining protests
The Sangha Supreme Council has issued an urgent edict banning monks and novices from joining political rallies.
Narong Song-arom, director of the National Office of Buddhism, said on Wednesday that the participation of monks and novices in recent political gatherings had triggered widespread public criticism. The office had sent several letters to abbots warning them about the matter, but monks were still joining the protests, he said.
Therefore, the Sangha Supreme Council of Thailand issued an urgent edict to temples throughout the country to ban monks and novices from engaging in political activities. Violators will be punished with disciplinary measures and legal action, added Narong.
Monks at one rally had even called for monastic rules including shaving of the eyebrows to be scrapped, he said.
However, they knew the rules before becoming monks and nobody had forced them to enter the monkhood, he pointed out.