Showing 1 - 10 of 42
Breaking gender barriers in the clergy
Oped, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 22/07/2023
» Can queers be ordained as Buddhist monks? The question sparked intense debates on social media when Pataradanai Setsuwan, a well-known openly gay celebrity, entered the monkhood late last month.
Sex, money and monkhood don't mix
Oped, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 12/05/2022
» The latest sex scandal of a popular preacher "Luang Pi Kato" once again reveals how rotten the cleric system is.
Temple graft shows need for reform
News, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 11/04/2022
» The country's latest temple corruption scandal occurred at a first-class royal monastery; the centre of a sect founded by reformist monarch King Mongkut to clean up the clergy. What an irony!
Autocracy, not giggling, is the problem
Oped, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 15/09/2021
» When two influencer monks -- Phra Maha Praiwan Worawano and Phra Maha Sompong Talaputto -- were summoned to Government House last week for giggling too much in their dhamma talk shows, I expected intellectual duels between the conservatives and the liberals on the monastic codes of conduct and the clergy's need to catch up with times.
Fanaticism, hate speech and Buddhism
Oped, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 09/09/2020
» If your ultra-royalist friends say we need to uphold the Nation-Religion-Monarchy state ideology to protect the country's peace, order and national identity, ask them whose nation and what religion they are talking about.
Calls for blood must be nipped in bud
News, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 13/06/2019
» What began as a silly spat between female politicians in opposite camps may not turn out pretty judging from louder calls for blood from right-wing, ultra-royalists.
Perpetuating sexism through prayers
News, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 29/04/2019
» Is it possible that women's lower status in Thai society has something to do with the way we Thai Buddhists pray?
Scapegoating not a solution to haze
News, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 25/04/2019
» Despite feeling bitter from being arrested and falsely condemned as an arsonist, 56-year-old Boonpan Saenkhammuen went back to fight the raging fires on Doi Luang Mountain in Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary the next day.
Buddha's path must guide reform of clergy
News, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 07/06/2018
» The recent crackdown on the Sangha Supreme Council elders is long overdue. Corrupt monks in high places have escaped the law for far too long. But abuse of power will not go away as long as the clergy remains a closed, feudal autocracy under state patronage.
Safe food, health lose out to chemicals
News, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 29/03/2018
» Why is it so difficult for organic farming to grow in Thailand? Is it the farmers' resistance to wean off chemicals for fear of low productivity? Is it consumers' unwillingness to pay more for safe foods? Is it the expensive logistics and the government red tape that prevent small organic farmers from reaching consumers?