More than 1,000 monks to join Thai protest

(Bangkok Post) BANGKOK, Thailand - Over a thousand Buddhist monks are planning to show their solidarity with the Red Shirt demonstrators today (March 20, 2010). They will also offer temples in Bangkok as a resting place for Red Shirt protesters so they can prolong their rally against the Abhisit Vejjajiva government, which was the result of a military coup.

Ven. Phra Panya Panyataro, a Buddhist monk from Surat Thani, Thailand said various groups of people, such as student and trade union leaders, had supported the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) demonstrators, so now it was time for the monks to do so.

Ven. Panya, coordinator of the Buddhist monk network for unity, said all monks who are at Sanam Luang have brought along an identity card and have registered so there were no fake monks [impersonators who are often planted provocateurs] among them. The monks' routine so far had been offering morning and evening prayers for peace and non-violence and walking round Sanam Luang once every day. Sathien Wipromha, a coordinator for the network, said some 1,200 monks had gradually arrived at Sanam Luang since last night to witness the Red Shirt vehicle caravan rally today. More>>

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