BANGKOK — A senior official in the Thai military government says authorities will launch an inquiry into a "monk pilgrimage" that caused a massive traffic gridlock outside of Bangkok yesterday.

Suwapan Tanyuwattana, Minister to the Office of the Prime Minister, said many motorists have complained about the month-long march, which was organized by a Buddhist sect called Dharmakaya. The majority of the route was through Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi provinces, but some stretches overlapped with major roads in Bangkok's northern and northwestern suburbs, which are already notorious for heavy rush hour traffic.

Photo of the march from Dharmakaya's website.

At least 1,000 monks marched in the event, which was called "Pilgrimage for Victorious Dharma, Path of the Saints who Defeat Evil, Dharma Walk to Restore World's Morality," while Dharmakaya worshipers lined the route and laid down carpets and flowers. Dharmakaya, a Buddhist sect founded in the 1960s, has organized similar mass pilgrimages in the past. 

"I have instructed the National Office of Buddism to summon those related to the pilgrimage for a discussion in order to find a solution to the public's troubles, especially the issue of traffic," Suwapan said yesterday. "We will also look into the behavior and practice of the Dharmakaya sect."

He added that Dharmakaya did inform the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and traffic police about their pilgrimage prior to the event.

When asked by a reporter whether the authorities will launch an in-depth investigation into the sect, Suwapan replied cryptically, "I have my background." 

Dharmakaya boasts millions of followers across Thailand, including a strong backing among politicians and businessmen. The sect promotes meditation and purity of the soul in order to reach one's inner dharmakaya, or "truth body."

The church's heavy focus on soliciting donations, extravagant buildings and processions, and secretive organizational structure has drawn criticism from many mainstream Buddhists, who see Dharmakaya as cultish. 

Phanom Sornsilp, director of the National Office of Buddhism, said he has instructed representatives from Dharmakaya to organize their next pilgrimage outside urban areas. He also said that the pilgrimage should also be quick, lasting only one hour if possible, and refrain from causing traffic jams. 

"Otherwise it will affect traffic and people’s lives," Phanom told reporters. "If there are any further complaints from the public, we will convene another meeting with Dharmakaya."

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BANGKOK — A senior official in the Thai military government says authorities will launch an inquiry into a "monk pilgrimage" that caused a massive traffic gridlock outside of Bangkok yesterday.

Suwapan Tanyuwattana, Minister to the Office of the Prime Minister, said many motorists have complained about the month-long march, which was organized by a Buddhist sect called Dharmakaya. The majority of the route was through Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi provinces, but some stretches overlapped with major roads in Bangkok's northern and northwestern suburbs, which are already notorious for heavy rush hour traffic.

Photo of the march from Dharmakaya's website.

At least 1,000 monks marched in the event, which was called "Pilgrimage for Victorious Dharma, Path of the Saints who Defeat Evil, Dharma Walk to Restore World's Morality," while Dharmakaya worshipers lined the route and laid down carpets and flowers. Dharmakaya, a Buddhist sect founded in the 1960s, has organized similar mass pilgrimages in the past. 

"I have instructed the National Office of Buddism to summon those related to the pilgrimage for a discussion in order to find a solution to the public's troubles, especially the issue of traffic," Suwapan said yesterday. "We will also look into the behavior and practice of the Dharmakaya sect."

He added that Dharmakaya did inform the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and traffic police about their pilgrimage prior to the event.

When asked by a reporter whether the authorities will launch an in-depth investigation into the sect, Suwapan replied cryptically, "I have my background." 

Dharmakaya boasts millions of followers across Thailand, including a strong backing among politicians and businessmen. The sect promotes meditation and purity of the soul in order to reach one's inner dharmakaya, or "truth body."

The church's heavy focus on soliciting donations, extravagant buildings and processions, and secretive organizational structure has drawn criticism from many mainstream Buddhists, who see Dharmakaya as cultish. 

Phanom Sornsilp, director of the National Office of Buddhism, said he has instructed representatives from Dharmakaya to organize their next pilgrimage outside urban areas. He also said that the pilgrimage should also be quick, lasting only one hour if possible, and refrain from causing traffic jams. 

"Otherwise it will affect traffic and people’s lives," Phanom told reporters. "If there are any further complaints from the public, we will convene another meeting with Dharmakaya."

For comments, or corrections to this article please contact: [email protected]

You can also find Khaosod English on Twitter and Facebook
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PATTANI — Thailand's southern border provinces have seen a surge in violence in recent days, following the arrival of senior Malaysian officials in Bangkok to discuss the insurgent violence with Thailand's military government.

Hishammuddin Hussein, the Malaysian Minister of Defense, has met with Thai government officials, including Prime Minister Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, over the past two days to discuss the insurgency in southern Thailand, a spokesperson of the Thai Ministry of Defense said.

Islamic insurgents have been battling Thai authorities in Narathiwat, Yala, and Pattani provinces – a region known as the Deep South – since early 2004. The separatists aim to revive the independent sultanate of Pattani, which was incorporated into modern-day Thailand in the early 20th century.

In contrast to the rest of the country, which is dominated by Buddhists, a majority of those living in the Deep South are Muslims who speak a Malaysian dialect. 

More than 6,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the simmering conflict over the past decade, according to data compiled by rights groups.

The latest incident of violence in the Deep South occurred at around 1:30 am today, when a group of gunmen opened fire at a police patrol in Pattani province, killing one police officer and wounding three others. One of the wounded police officers said his team was ambushed by the gunmen, who were hiding in a forest near the road. 

Security officers found at least 48 bullet cases near the crime scene. 

The day before, four civilians were shot at a grocery store in Narathiwat. Three of the men died at the scene, while the other passed away in a hospital today. Pol.Col. Ruengsak Buadaeng, superintendent of Rueso Police Station, said local insurgents are believed to be responsible for the attack. 

On the morning of 28 January, two separate roadside bomb attacks also targeted security force convoys in Pattani and Yala. 

The first explosion took place near a checkpoint in Yala's Mueang district at 8:09 am, police say. The IED was reportedly set off as a group of police officers were passing on motorcycles, injuring three officers. Police say the IED appeared to consist of seven-kilogram homemade explosive.

The second blast occurred on Route 42 of Pattani-Narathiwat highway in Pattani at 8:10 am and appeared to be aimed at a group of army rangers. However, no one was injured in the incident.

Last month, Gen. Prayuth traveled to Malaysia to meet with Prime Minister Najib Razak and discuss holding Malaysian-brokered peace talks with the southern rebels. However, the shadowy insurgent groups have yet to honor the ceasefire that Gen. Prayuth said must be in place in order for the talks to go forward.

Last month, dozens of banners were hung around southern Thailand questioning the sincerity of Gen. Prayuth's peace dialogue. 

The banners, which were written in Thai, English, and Malay, read: "Is it appropriate to negotiate with the coup government? There is no guarantee for sincerity."

BANGKOK — The former commander of Thailand's Central Investigation Bureau and his deputy have been sentenced to six years in prison for insulting the Crown Prince and running an illegal casino.

Pol.Lt.Gen. Pongpat Chayapan, his ex-deputy Pol.Lt.Gen. Kowit Wongrungroj, and at least five others were arrested in November on charges of extortion, abuse of power, corruption, running a gambling den, money laundering, and lese majeste (insult of monarchy). More than 20 others were later arrested in connection with the alleged crime syndicate run by Pol.Lt.Gen. Pongpat.

Many of the suspects are related to former princess Srirasmi, wife of Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, including her own brother and sister. Srirasmi resigned from her status as member of the Royal Family in the aftermath of the scandal. 

Today, the Criminal Court found Pongpat and Kowit guilty of violating Thailand’s lese majeste law, which criminalizes defaming the Royal Family with up to 15 years in prison. 

According to the court, the pair operated an illegal casino in Bangkok and wore Royal Crest pins and badges bearing the portrait of Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, the 9-year-old son of the Crown Prince, to indicate that the casino was backed by the palace, the Bangkok Post reported. 

The defendants confessed to the crime and were sentenced to five years in prison for lese majeste, and seven years in jail for abuse of power and running a gambling den. The total sentence was eventually reduced to six years because of their confessions.

The pair also plead guilty to charges of lese majeste and soliciting bribes in two other cases still before the court. 

The emergence of Pol.Lt.Gen. Pongpat's alleged graft ring into the public eye was one of the largest scandals to hit the Thai police force and the palace in recent years. 

Pol.Lt.Gen. Pongpat is an uncle of former princess Srirasmi. Her brother, Col. Nattapol Suwadee, is under arrest on charges of armed racketeering and illegal detention, and her sister, Sudathip Muangnuan, is being held in a Bangkok prison for citing her connections to the monarchy in order to win exclusive rights to sell certain food products to the Crown Prince's palace at an overpriced rate.

In response to the ongoing scandal, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn stripped Srirasmi's entire family of the royally-bestowed surname of Akharaphongpreecha, forcing them to revert back to their "commoner" surname, Suwadee, on 30 November. 

Less than two weeks later, on 12 December, the Royal Household Bureau announced that Srirasmi had resigned from her status as a member of the Thai Royal Family. She moved out of the Crown Prince's palace in Bangkok to live with her parents in Ratchaburi province and has not been seen since 13 December, when she applied for a new national ID card as a commoner. 

It is unclear whether Srirasmi and the Crown Prince are formally divorced. The couple married in 2001 and have one 9-year-old son.