NLA poised to amend Sangha Act

A National Legislative Assembly (NLA) committee on religious affairs has set up a working panel to study proposals to amend the Sangha Act, the law governing the monastic community, with key proposed changes zeroing in on monks’ inheritance and management of temple assets.

The proposals were made by Constitutional Court judge Jarun Pukditanakul who sits on an NLA panel working on legislation related to Buddhism.

Under the proposed amendments, Buddhist monks would be banned from inheriting assets and property from their family and from receiving large amounts of money from others.

Pol Gen Pichit Khuantechakupt, who heads the religious affairs committee, said no conclusion has yet been reached.

A working panel chaired by Somporn Thepsittha, deputy chairman of the NLA committee on religious affairs, has been formed to study the proposals, Pol Gen Pichit said.

Opinions from various parties such as monks and the monastic community, the National Office of Buddhism (NOB), and the government will be gathered and studied carefully to ensure fairness and transparency, Pol Gen Pichit said.

He said the proposals have nothing to do with the ongoing controversy surrounding the embattled Wat Phra Dhammakaya and its former abbot Phra Dhammajayo.

NOB chief Panom Sornsilp said he had learned from the NLA panel on Buddhism-related legislation that the proposed amendments to the Sangha Act deal with issues concerning private or personal assets acquired by monks during their time serving in the monkhood.

The question is whether the monks should retain ownership of such assets or whether the assets should be handed over to the state or the temple with which the monks are affiliated.

Under the proposed amendments, legislation and regulations would also be issued to deal more swiftly with monks who breach the monastic disciplinary code of conduct, Mr Panom said.

Another key point in the proposed amendments to the act involves managing religious assets belonging to Buddhist temples.