Pheu Thai wants SSC decision approved

PARTY WARNS COUNTRY AT RISK OF DIVISION OVER MESSY NOMINATION

The Pheu Thai Party has called on the government to respect the Sangha Supreme Council’s decision to nominate Somdet Phra Maha Ratchamangalacharn as the next supreme patriarch.

Pheu Thai acting deputy secretary-general Chavalit Wichayasut made the comment yesterday after the Office of the Ombudsman’s ruling that the SSC’s nomination is against the law.

Mr Chavalit said the government should heed the SSC’s decision, rather than listen to Paiboon Nititawan, the former chairman of the now-defunct National Reform Council committee on religious affairs.

The SSC comprises highly revered senior monks from both the Maha Niyaka and Dhammayutti Nikaya sects, who unanimously voted 17-0 to nominate Somdet Phra Maha Ratchamangalacharn, also known as Somdet Chuang, to become the new supreme patriarch, whereas Mr Paiboon has been very much involved in “worldly affairs”, Mr Chavalit said.

The country could be in deep trouble if the government is not confident in the SSC’s nomination, and bows to Mr Paiboon’s demands, he said.

Mr Paiboon was formerly a member of the anti-Thaksin Group of 40 Senators which opposed Pheu Thai when it was in government.

Mr Chavalit said the SSC meeting on Jan 5 when Somdet Chuang was nominated for the top post demonstrated unity among the senior monks from both the Dhammayutti Nikaya and Maha Nikaya sects.

This served as a good example for all Buddhists to follow, he said, adding the government should stick to the SSC’s nomination and maintain unity among Buddhists.

Mr Paiboon petitioned the Office of the Ombudsman to interpret Section 7 of the Sangha Act to determine whether initiating the nomination of the supreme patriarch is the responsibility of the prime minister or the SSC.

Raksakecha Chaechay, secretary-general to the Office of the Ombudsman, said on Friday the office has concluded that according to Section 7, the authority to initiate selection of the supreme patriarch rests with the prime minister. The PM will then present the name of the most senior monk to the SSC for endorsement.

After the SSC’s endorsement, the name of the nominee will be returned to the prime minister who will then submit it to His Majesty the King for royal endorsement.

In light of this, the SSC’s nomination of Somdet Chuang did not comply with the legal process, Mr Rasakecha said.

The fact that the National Office of Buddhism, which serves as the SSC’s secretary, forwarded the name of the nominee to the prime minister through the PM’s Office Minister Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana is also against the law, according to the Office of the Ombudsman.

Mr Raksakecha said Section 7 of the Sangha Act requires the prime minister to have a role in the nomination process, not for him to serve only as a “postman or a messenger”.