It 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 all the stories of the moral failings of individual monks.
Some say that Buddhism is in “turmoil.”
As a result, we were struck by the military junta’s approval of a proposal “to allow civil servants and state-enterprise employees to receive 15 days’ paid leave for monk ordination from October 16-30 to make merit…” for the late king.
It seems the National Office of Buddhism has been uncertain that it can rustle up sufficient numbers for its “project to have 89 men per province – or a total of 6,853 men nationwide…”.
We can only guess that the target can now be achieved as senior officials order underlings to be ordained as a sign of loyalty.
Political Prisoners in Thailand 