re: "Drama over monks' giggly live-stream chat show settled" (BP, September 9, 2021)
Dear editor,
Naturally, the totally serious, benevolent and righteous forces that prop up the traditional institutions of Thainess running sacred are terrified of satire. Laughing, even giggling, at the inherited pretensions of ever so serious, ever so benevolent, and ever so righteous preachers of simplicity, frugality and sufficiency, preached from multiple luxury residences where none may know what goes on even after sunrise, threatens to undermine mindlessly blind faith in the antique status quo beloved of those whose acts in defence of their beloved relics will spare no democratic principle, norm, or practice.
It is most fortunate for them that the religion known as Thai Buddhism continues, as in the old days, to be run by and for powerful political figures so that unruly monks who might be too much inclined towards engaging people with right understanding and other principles dear to the Buddha can be properly brought to heel.
It is less fortunate for others that such desires to suppress freedoms are as undemocratic as they are arguably unBuddhist.
Felix Qui
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The above letter to the editor is the text as submitted by Felix Qui to the Bangkok Post.
The text as edited was published in PostBag on September 12, 2021, under the title "When satire terrifies some" at https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/postbag/2180355/time-for-pm-to-come-clean
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