Lat Phrao residents go head to head with temple
Demolition of a popular meeting spot infuriates locals, writes Supoj Wancharoen
Temples are traditionally the heart of a community. But in contemporary society, conflicts involving temples and residents emerge constantly.
A recent case is t he controversy between Wat Lat Phrao in Lat Phrao district and residents living in nearby communities.
Four out of six riverside pavilions — believed to be over 100 years old — in the temple’s grounds serving as meeting places for the community were knocked down, along with several trees on Feb 6 by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), without public consultation.
The BMA said they encroached into Klong Lat Phrao, blocking the waterway.
The officials tried to rationalise not telling residents about the demolition by claiming it was agreed to by the temple’s abbot who had already sought an agreement from nearby community residents.
But Rungthip Klayklueng, 48, a Wang Hin community resident living near the temple, argued that the temple and the locals are victims of injustice. She said there are many houses and factories encroaching into the canal, but the
BMA chose to demolish the temple pavilions.
“The officials discriminated against t he little people,” said Ms Rungthip.
More than just plain discrimination, many residents claimed t he pavilions — entirely built out of gold teak wood f rom donations by from residents generations ago — could be traced back over a century.
Locals, angry at not being consulted prompted residents to seek an injunction to prevent the demolition of the remaining two pavilions on Feb 14.
Ms Rungthip accused officials of failing to act reasonably, demanding they (officials) come up with a more agreeable approach to saving the structures.
Officials should have discussed the issue with locals before taking quick, drastic action. They should have conducted a survey of the temple area. They should have made measurements of the structures they claimed intruded into the canal, she added.
Ms Rungthip also accuses Wat Lat Phrao’s abbot Phra Kru Nikom of arbitrarily abusing power by allowing officials to demolish the four other pavilions. She believes the controversial issue would affect people’s faith in the temple, which would result in reduced income for vendors selling products at the temple due to less visits.
“We are upset that [BMA] officials and the abbot abused their power,” said Ms Rungthip who, with other residents, have laid complaints against the abbot and the authorities.
The locals had sought help from Srisuwan Janya, secretary-general of the Association for the Protection of the Constitution, she added.
Joined by some monks from Wat Lat Phrao who also disagreed with the abbot, the group gathered at the Administrative Court to file a petition to stop further demolition, demanding it issue an injunction to suspend the demolition in the temple compound.
They accused Bangkok governor Asawin Kwanmuang, the head of the Department of Drainage and Sewerage, the Lat Phrao District Office chief and Wat Lat Phrao’s abbot of abusing their power.
Mr Srisuwan said the locals want the court to order city officials to build new pavilions and plant trees to replace ones that were torn down.
The demolition has not only destroyed religious structures belonging to Wat Lat Phrao, but also hurt the feelings of the temple’s followers, Mr Srisuwan said. He claimed the demolition breaches the Administrative Procedure Act. Any action which damages structures or objects in a temple’s compound must be subject to broader public scrutiny, he said.
However, the age of the pavilions can’t be accurately determined. While locals claim they are a century old, the authorities say they were built some 30 years ago.
But Somchart Saengjan, 69, a resident of Suphapong Market Community in Chatuchak district, through which Klong Lat Phrao runs, believes the pavilions are over 100 years old. He recalled seeing them 50 years ago when he first moved into the community.
Mr Somchart called on officials and the abbot to explain why they rushed to tear down the pavilions without any official notification, saying the structures had sentimental value.
“Neither we nor some monks from the temple knew about the plan. No notice had been erected to inform the locals,” he said.
He demanded the abbot be more considerate, saying the temple is public property and any activity that would cause damage or loss to it is of public concern.
Resident Salakjit Saehan, 72, called on the abbot to construct new pavilions to replace the old ones that were demolished.
The pavilions served as popular meeting spots for locals and people going to make merit at the temple. They were places where children played after school and the elderly relaxed in the evening, she said.
On Feb 16, the Bangkok Post went to the temple and found there were only two pavilions standing and several large trees were being readied for relocation. There was very little evidence the other four had existed.
Phra Suphachai Panalikul, a monk who has been at Wat Lat Phrao for more than seven years urged the abbot to explain matters to create better understanding among residents.
The issue has damaged people’s faith in the temple, the monk admitted.
Wat Lat Phrao abbot Phra Kru Nikom said “Let’s see what the court decides,” when asked to comment.
He said he gave the green light to city officials to tear down the pavilions because he was told they were causing problems because they were encroaching on the canal. He said he was told demolition would result in better drainage, which would help prevent floods in the city.
Meanwhile, Lat Phrao District Office chief Wanida Jeangpaisarnkul said the demolition was legal as the pavilions were found to have encroached onto a public canal.
An announcement was made by officials informing locals about the demolition work, she insisted.
Ms Wanida claimed Phra Kru Nikom and the temple committee agreed to the plan after talks between officials and temple representatives.
“I was told that the locals understood what we were doing and had been cooperating with officials,” she said.
Power and leadership are believed to be the root causes of the conflict, a source close to the BMA, whose name has been withheld, noted.
A group of people had tried to force Phra Kru Nikom to step down as Wat Lat Phra abbot in the hope his deputy would succeed him, the source said.
The same source said city officials will not move the big trees being readied for relocation as it is the temple’s responsibility, not the BMA’s, to relocate them.
However, the source said city officials have worked closely with the temple committee and the abbot to advise them about this work.