Buddhagunupakan Award

The Standing Committee on Religion, Arts and Culture of the House of Representatives, Thailand recently presented 536 Buddhist individuals  and organizations with the Buddhagunupakan Award to recognize the awardees for their exemplary, dedicated and excellent contributions to Buddhism.



With the Buddhagunupakan Kancanakiartigun presented by the Thai Parliament.

The award presentation which was held on 23 April 2011 at Maha Chulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Ayuthaya, Thailand was presided by His Most Venerable Somdejphramaharatchamangala of the Supreme Sangha Council of Thailand.

With Ven. Hsing Ting (centre) of Fo Guang San and Ven. Dhammakosajarn of Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University

This award has been presented for the last three years for Thai citizens but beginning this year Buddhists from 18 foreign countries were also picked to receive the awards. There are three categories in the award, namely Supreme, Highest and Outstanding Decoration of Excellence. There were 17 receipients for the Supreme category, 195 for Highest category and 324 for Outstanding category.

Among the notable foreign recipients for the Buddhagunupakan Supreme Decoration of Excellence were Most Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh from Plum Village, France and Most Venerable Hsing Yun of Fo Guang San, Taiwan.

Fellow awardees from Taiwan, Mongolia, Malaysia and Thailand

For the Buddhagunupakan Kancanakiartigun - Highest Decoration of Excellence, foreign awardees include the first President of the Republic of Kalmykia Kirsan Ilyumzhinov; Most Venerable Ching Yao of Taiwan; Most Venerable Gyana Ratna Bhikkhu of Bangladesh and Most Venerable Daranagama Kusaladhamma Nayaka Thero of The Buddhist TV Channel, Sri Lanka.

Malaysians who were conferred the Buddhagunupakan Kancanakiartigun award include Loka Ng Sai Kai, former deputy president and currently advisor of the World Fellowship of Buddhist Youth and Ong See Yew, the president of Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia.

In unity we stand with Thai Buddhists

A week before Vesak Day the Thai government decided to face-off with the Red Shirts. The Red Shirts, a group of pro-Thaksin supporters has encamped themselves in central Bangkok for three months by constructing barricades around them with tyres and bamboo sticks. The Thai government led by Abhisit Vejjajiva managed to apprehend the core leaders of the Red Shirts and demolished the barricades.

The whole world was monitoring the situation in Bangkok and many travel advisories were issued by many countries advising their respective citizens to avoid visiting Thailand especially in hot spots areas. The situation in Thailand was of concern to many people, locals and foreigners alike.

For a group of Malaysian Buddhists, the situation in Bangkok affects them too as they were bound to attend the annual United Nations Day of Vesak Conference hosted by the Maha Chulalongkorn University in Ayutthaya from 23 - 25 May 2010. There were concerns by many  regarding the loss of lives during cross fire and by snipers in the Bangkok encampment.

At last, just as other foreign delegates, nearly all in the Malaysian group flew into Suvarnabhumi International Airport on 22 May and transferred smoothly to their respective hotels without any inkling or traces of the shooting incidents happens earlier. As the Thais used to say, it is as smooth as silk. We were never in any occasion or have any thoughts of being unsafe, felt threathened or insecured when we were in Thailand throughout the whole conference.

Even though night curfew was enforced by the Thai government during our stay in Thailand, we never felt any sign of curfew being fully enforced especially when we were staying in Ayutthaya. A group of us were even moving along the main thoroughfare in Ayutthaya and taking the "Tuk-Tuk" transporter back to our hotel during the curfew period. Not even a soldier or military officer was seen!

The only time the foreign delegates really sees a "strong" presence of military officers was during the opening ceremony when the Crown Prince and his wife were in attendance. About 100 soldiers were seen outside the conference hall where the opening ceremony was held. In the hall, some high ranking military officers can be seen sitting in the front rows when the Crown Prince officiated the conference. 

The only time when the delegates stepped into Bangkok was during the final day when the conference was held at the UN Escap Convention Hall. As usual practice all visitors to the UN office have to walk through the metal detactor and personal hand carry need to be hand over for scanning. A regular visitor to this place will not be bothered with this security check.

The Thai government has been very supportive of this conference for the last few years. One of the highlights of the conference was the surprised announcement on the development of a World Buddhist Park near Bangkok. This shows how much efforts Thailand is putting into to support Buddhism and Buddhists worldwide.

During his closing speech, the Rector of Maha Chulalongkorn University, Venerable Dharmakosajarn, who is also the conference chair thank all foreign delegates for taking the effort to travel to Thailand to attend and support the conference in the midst of the internal conflicts.

As for me and also for many foreign delegates it is the spirit of standing in unity, side by side with fellow Buddhists in Thailand  that motivates us to be with them during their period of uncertainty and crisis. The UN Day of Vesak Conference this year delivers not only the Bangkok Declaration 2010 but also the true spirit of the Dharma Brotherhood that radiates and glows in the heart of all Buddhists in the celebration of the sacred Vesak Day. - Loka

Can Thaksin afford an anarchy?

For the past few years whenever there are tensions in Thailand due to political conflicts or coup de tat, I always kept an open mind that these are just another hiccup in Thailand's democratic process. As far as I know, my Thai friends who resides in Bangkok will accept these tensions as part of their daily life. Nothing to be worry about. One of my friend who stays near current Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva house even took the opportunity to record the occasion when the Red Shirts marched to Abhisit's house.

The previous occasion when the Yellow Shirts took control of the Suvarnabhumi International Airport, the foreign tourists that were unable to fly out from Bangkok were given free hotel stays and extended holidays at the Thai Government expenses. Silently, some of these foreign visitors must be thankful to the Yellow Shirts. There was no fear of being caught between warring factions and stray bullets. Only free food, accommodation dan scenic tours.

But the current tense situation is different. By constructing barricades built from tyres and spikes in a location usually visited by foreign tourists and locals, the Red Shirts is not only causing economic losses to the businesses in the area and the country but also developing fear of an all out battle between the Red shirts and the armed forces. It looks like the Red Shirts are prepared for a head-on fight with the military. With blood already spilled recently on the road when  lives were lost during military tough actions against the Red Shirts.

 If a peaceful solution is still not forthcoming soon, situation will be turning into an anarchy and Thailand will be facing a civil unrest which the cost can be so huge price that Thaksin could not even pay with his billions. - Loka

Stranded at Suvarnabhumi Airport

The mayhem in Thailand had started again and luckily I was not in Bangkok around this time. But I will remember my last trip there. It was the first time in my life I have to sleep in an airport.

Well, I was on transit at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport on April 3, 2009, waiting for my 8.20pm Air Asia flight back to Kuala Lumpur. I arrived from Katmandu at about 6.25pm the same evening.

When I was leaving Katmandu earlier in the day, a Thai friend of my teases me on my attire. I was wearing a red T-shirt. Knowing well ahead the turbulance that is simmering in Bangkok that time, it will be rather " sensitive" for me to be in red attire when I reach Bangkok later. But then if I take a cab, maybe the driver will waive the fare since I was informed taxi drivers are the red shirts supporters.

Anyway my red T-shirt did not give caused me any anxiety or free taxi ride but it was the other red of the day that gives me the headache. My Air Asia flight was delayed for 4 hours and 5 minutes! The flight took off only at 12.25 am on April 4, 2009. That means I was stranded at the airport for 6 hours! Luckily I had my sleeping bag ready in my backpack.

Until now I did not receive not any official apology from the Air Asia management and neither the RM200 e-voucher guarantee that Air Asia promises to be delivered via email within three days of the delayed flight to those who are make to wait more than two hours from the actual flight schedule. Due to the delayed, I only arrived at the KLIA LCCT at 3.30am in the morning. Adding salt to injury, I was made to pay extra 50% midnight surcharge for my LCCT taxi. ( After waiting for two weeks, Air Asia emailed me the e-voucher worth RM200 on April 17, 2009 but I must redeem it within three months. There was no response on my query regarding the taxi surcharge paid by me due to the delay.)

I had already emailed my complaint to them via their website one week ago. No response at all. Tried calling them, no one picks up the phone!

Air Asia- promises are easy to make but find difficulty in honouring it. - Loka

In The Buddha's Footsteps (1)

' Ananda, there are four places the sight of which should arouse emotion in the faithful. Which are they? "Here the Tathagata was born" is the first. "Here the Tathagata attained supreme enlightenment" is the second. "Here the Tathagata set in motion the Wheel of Dhamma" is the third. "Here the Tathagata attained the Nibbana-element without remainder" is the fourth. And , Ananda, the faithful monks and nuns, male and female lay-fllowers will visit those places. And any who die while making the pilgrimage to these shrines with a devout heart will, at the breaking-up of the body after death, will be reborn in a heavenly world.

- Mahaparinibbana Sutta, Digha Nikaya verse 5.8

My first pilgrimage to the holy sites in India and Nepal happens between 24 March - 2 April 2009. It is a spiritual experience that all Buddhists should aspire to follow in the footsteps of the Buddha, at least once in their lifetime.

Tuesday, 24th March 2009, Bangkok-Bodhgaya

Flight TG 8820 took off from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport at 12.10pm for Gaya in Bihar, India. Thai Airways is one of the only three airlines that flew direct to Gaya. This mostly caters to the Thai pilgrims which forms the major group of Buddhist pilgrims to India.


The flight took about three hours and was smooth flying except two air turbulences. Upon arrival at the Gaya Airport at about 1.40pm local time, the Indian experience on "hospitability" began to unfold. Walking from the tarmac, we were make to wait for the "automatic" door to be opened manually before proceeding to the immigration section. First impression is important, are tourists welcome to India? Follow-on, there was no immigration officers manning the counters to process our delegation's passports. Waited again.

After the officers discuss with the group tour coordinators, we were allowed to pass immigration half an hour later.

It was blazing hot once we get out from the air-conditioned airport arrival hall. Truly, other than the human factor, I am impressed with the modern and clean condition of the airport.

We arrived at the Wat Thai Buddhagaya about 15 minutes later. Thai Buddhist temples are built in major Buddhist pilgrimage sites all over India and Lumbini. Thai pilgrims are able to stay at these temples during their pilgrimage and participate in the daily temple religious services. Furthermore, Thai meals are served and hot beverages are available easily for these pilgrims.

We had a briefing and rooms allocation at the dining hall. Picture above shows me and my dhamma brother from Thailand, Bro. Pongpun, who later shall be addressed as Venerable Pongpun.

There were five of us sharing the same room which has an attached bathroom. If a room with basic facilities is good enough for a former Thai Health Minister and a Managing Director of a major corporation, it is for sure more than good enough for me!

Knowing very well the hot and humid weather in India, the organiser prepared the ever popular and "body-saving" cooling powder Prickly Heat for each and everyone of us. We were even given a spray bottle of Sketolene, an insect repellant. At least it reduces the chances of us from breaking the first precept, those mosquitoes will not be coming near us for sure!

This pilgrimage tour organised by the Young Buddhist Association of Thailand under the Royal Patronage has one special event in comparison with the tours organised by other Buddhist groups and travel agencies. One major and special part of the program is the ordaination as monks and novices of 1/3 of the participants under the Bodhi Tree in MahaBodhi Temple.

The shaving ceremony was held at the Wat Thai Buddhagaya during dusk. Family members and close friends were there to be part of the ceremony and provides the spiritual support.

The Young Buddhist Association of Thailand president, Anurut Vongvanij (2nd from right) and his son Krittithep ( front middle) will be ordained later.

Transformation from brother to Venerable Pongpun

Abhisit's political broom

Last night TV news showed Abhisit Vejjajiva the new Thai PM holding the broom to clean the Government House compound which was gate crashed and seized by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) for about four months. The place was left with much rubbish and awful sight caused by the forced occupation by PAD.

Abhisit will need more than a bigger and stronger broom to clean-up the state of affairs now afflicting Thailand. Being the third PM in a short span of four months he will need all the strength and support he can get to oversee the shambled economy and battered image of Thailand in the eyes of international community.

That will be easier said than done.

Even though he is reaching out to core supporters of former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra in his stronghold regions, that will be a very challenging task as Thaksin's is still remote controlling the recently turned opposition groups of former PMs Somchai Wongsawat and Samak Sundaravej.

To ensure he will sustain longer than his predecessors, maybe he need the broom to sweep away the bad luck afflicting the PM position in Thailand. - Loka

The Reds Vs The Yellows

It's getting absurd and self defeating when people took their fight against an elected but despised government to one of the busiest international airport in Asia.

The action of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) in seizing Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Muang Airport in Bangkok might ends up getting more than what they bargained for.

Their actions had directly affected thousands of international travellers from many countries which I am sure will not be sharing about the beautiful beaches they visited or the cheap bargain they got from Thailand when they finally arrived home but the frightening and life threatening experience they went through at the airports.

Emergency rule was just declared at the airports by the embattled PM Somchai Wongsawat a while ago. By the time the Thai police and army units marches into the airports in the next few hours, the airport runways and PAD supporters yellow T-shirts will most probably turn red as the PAD anti-government will fight it out for the final stand. It seems things are getting out of control and the PAD leaders will be washing blood from the tarmac if sensibility do not prevails on both sides.

While this scenario is unveil moment by moment, the Thai armed forces will be watching closely and will launch a coup de'tat, an usual happening in the history of Thailand. Bangkokians are so use to it that life goes on as usual in the midst of a coup. The only real worry in many heads now is whether there will be civil strife between the reds and the yellows. The red being the pro-government protesters and yellow the anti-government protesters. Once this happens, Thailand will be really in a hot pot of Tom Yam Kung! - Loka