PPT is not following the current wrangle all that closely. It seems that the main thing to note is that yellow shirts are gunning for this Wat because they associate it with Thaksin Shinawatra. Rabid royalists are busy circulating photos that claim to show Wat supporters previously wearing red shirts. We may assume that the military dictatorship has the same views. We might also wonder if there is a plan to grab the Wat’s huge wealth.
Here’s a selection of articles that make the supposed links between Thaksin and the Wat:
Thai Prosecutors to Charge Wat Dhammakaya Abbot Phra …
Chiang Rai Times–23 Nov. 2016
The Dhammakaya temple has repeatedly insisted on its abbot’s innocence … the sect’s legal problems result from its association with Thaksin.
Thai military government leader urges powerful monk Phra …
Thousands gather at Thailand’s Dhammakaya temple as police try to …
International–Chiang Rai Times–16 Jun. 2016
Thailand: Buddhist Feud Threatens Fragile Peace
Yellow & Red Seen in Orange Folds of Dhammakaya Scandal
Buddhist sects’ feuding could grow into proxy war of Thai political …
A peek into Thailand’s controversial temple Wat Dhammakaya
The Straits Times–9 Mar. 2015
The premises of the Dhammakaya sect – the world’s fastest growing … Thaksin Shinawatra, the bête noir of the Thai royalist establishment, …
Update: An interesting story in the Bangkok Post has the junta shutting down a yellow shirt radio station for being “divisive.” Run by Therdsak Jiamkijwattana alias Tong Wihok, in Chiang Mai, he is also accused of having “dissemminated video clips on YouTube, Facebook and other social media. These video clips, produced and hosted by Mr Therdsak, contained images and stories attacking former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Wat Phra Dhammakaya temple with intent to spur division.” Interestingly, he is also accused of posting video clips “claimed to be ‘inside’ stories of the royal institution.”
Political Prisoners in Thailand 
[…] Source: Why yellow shirts hate Wat Dhammakaya […]
[…] In some ways, the answer is obviously yes, it is a proxy war. The conflicts between the Red and Yellow factions has taken the field of monastic administration. A allegedly corrupt, wealthy monk associated with a new religious movement and many Bangkok elites, was about to take the position of Supreme Patriarch. The major complaint however, seems to be that the abbot of Wat Dhammakaya Temple, with which Somdet Chuang is supposed to be closely affiliated, is supposed by many Yellow Shirts to be a haven of pro-Thaksin traitors to the nation. […]
[…] As we stated in an earlier post, PPT is not following the grand wrangle over Buddhism all that closely. We did note that yellow shirts and the military junta hate Wat Dhammakaya because they associate it with Thaksin Shinawatra. And, we noted the Wat’s huge wealth. That wealth may be both a reason for criticism and a cause for some greed. […]
[…] As we stated in an earlier post, PPT is not following the grand wrangle over Buddhism all that closely. We did note that yellow shirts and the military junta hate Wat Dhammakaya because they associate it with Thaksin Shinawatra. And, we noted the Wat’s huge wealth. That wealth may be both a reason for criticism and a cause for some greed. […]
[…] impact on politics and palace criteria. For earlier posts on this very public political battle, see here and […]
[…] impact on politics and palace criteria. For earlier posts on this very public political battle, see here and […]
[…] on why this case and is apparently so central for the junta and the broad yellow shirt movement (here, here, here and […]
[…] on why this case and is apparently so central for the junta and the broad yellow shirt movement (here, here, here and […]
[…] There are some other factors in this complex mix: Thailand’s reactionary (pro-amaat) mainstream media were and remain quick to make a connection to Thaksin, groundlessly and mischievously alluding to Dhammakaya as a bastion of the former pro-Thaksin politicians — mainly through a couple of people who were known to have frequented the temple on more than one occasion, such as the former Minister of Public Health, Sudarat Keyuraphan (also see here). […]
[…] Read this first. Then these: Amlo freezes Alisa’s land assets, Anant faces money laundering charge and LH founder surprised by summons. […]
[…] Read this first. Then these: Amlo freezes Alisa’s land assets, Anant faces money laundering charge and LH founder surprised by summons. […]
[…] is sometimes said that Buddhism is in something of a mess in Thailand. There’s the Wat Dhammakaya political stuff, which appears to be continuing, stoked by yellow shirts and other anti-democrats. Then there are […]
[…] is sometimes said that Buddhism is in something of a mess in Thailand. There’s the Wat Dhammakaya political stuff, which appears to be continuing, stoked by yellow shirts and other anti-democrats. Then there are […]
[…] with the big “cleansing” at senior levels of the Buddhist sangha that began with the crackdown on the Dhammakaya sect, then saw senior monks jailed or fleeing the country, and also saw fascist, royal amulet making […]
[…] with the big “cleansing” at senior levels of the Buddhist sangha that began with the crackdown on the Dhammakaya sect, then saw senior monks jailed or fleeing the country, and also saw fascist, royal amulet making […]