Thailand: Thailand's national Buddhism body said Monday it is monitoring monks nationwide for any inappropriate behaviour following complaints ignited by a video showing Buddhist monks flying on a private jet.
The YouTube video showed one of the monks wearing stylish aviator sunglasses, carrying a luxury brand travel bag and sporting a pair of modern-looking wireless headphones. It attracted criticism from Buddhists nationwide. 'The true core of those who preach Buddha's teachings is to not to own any objects at all.' The agency saw the video early this year and had warned the monks from a monastery in Thailand's northeast not to repeat the lavish behaviour, said the Office of National Buddhism director-general Nopparat Benjawatananun on Monday.
A country with the world's largest Buddhist population, Thailand has attempted to help Buddha's 2,600-year-old doctrine stand the test of time through a variety of means, including imposing a ban on the sale of alcohol on religious holidays. The efforts, however, are sometimes tainted by the Buddhist monks themselves.
Last year, about 300 out of 61,416 Buddhist monks and novices in Thailand were reprimanded — in several cases removed from the monkhood — because of their misconduct, ranging from: |
