Showing 1 - 9 of 9
History beyond race, ultra-nationalism
Oped, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 09/10/2025
» The hall fell silent as the 87-year-old anthropologist began to speak. His voice was weak, punctuated by pauses to catch his breath, yet every word carried the weight of decades of scholarship.
Corrupt monks have lost their way
Oped, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 14/07/2025
» Just as Thailand was about to celebrate Asalha Bucha Day and the start of Buddhist Lent, the nation was gripped by the biggest sex scandal ever to rock its clergy. How irony.
Bizarre temple practices under fire
Oped, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 27/12/2024
» Seventy-one corpses; that's what police found in two forest monasteries, thrusting them into the public eye for all the wrong reasons.
Monks caught in poaching scandal
News, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 03/06/2024
» Sex and money scandals among rogue monks are old news, barely raising an eyebrow any more. What's grabbing headlines now? Monks involved in wildlife poaching.
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.
Temples no longer safe for children
News, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 30/10/2019
» News about monks' sexual misconduct has become so frequent that it no longer shocks. But the latest scandal involving a rapist, paedophile monk makes my blood boil.
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?
Mixing monks with money corrupts clergy
News, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 20/06/2018
» Fear and fury is gripping the clergy. Following the arrest and defrocking of high-profile monks for temple corruption, temples nationwide are fearful of financial inspections while monks are up in arms against the idea of prohibiting them from receiving money from the laity.
Clergy's monopoly over Buddhist teachings is over
News, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 03/02/2018
» The controversy surrounding a new religious group called Techo Vipassana led by a self-proclaimed enlightened woman should remind the clergy that, short of Sangha reform, it is fighting a losing battle in the modern faith market.