Hundreds of Buddhist monks and laymen accompanied by nine elephants braved scorching heat yesterday to demand Buddhism be declared Thailand's national religion in its new, post-coup constitution.
The colorful protest of around 500 saffron-robed monks and devotees in pure white outfits waved yellow flags and placards as they marched 30km from the capital's western suburbs to parliament.
Police tried and failed to prevent the nine elephants -- an auspicious number in Thailand, where the word also means "progress" -- from taking part in hot season temperatures nearing 40?C.
PHOTO: EPA
"We are afraid that the heat might cause the elephants to go berserk and start trampling on things," Police Lieutenant General Adisorn Nonsi told a Bangkok radio station.
Another group of 1,400 people gathered outside parliament to demand that writers of the charter, which is to replace the 1997 "People's Constitution" torn up in September's military coup, add a clause defining Buddhism as the official state religion.
One placard proclaimed that Thailand would be "on fire" if the demand was not met.
The first draft of a new post-coup constitution, made public last week, retains the wording on the topic from Thailand's previous constitution, from 1997. It does not name Buddhism as the national religion, but says the state will protect all faiths.
The march came a day after General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the coup leader, backed the idea of recognizing Buddhism as the national religion amid a worsening Islamic insurgency in the south.
The uprising has killed more than 2,000 people since it flared in 2004. More than 90 percent of Thailand's 64 million people are Buddhists, and Muslims -- who form the majority in the deep south -- have long complained of discrimination.
However, the turnout was a fraction of the 100,000-plus that some organizers had predicted.
That said, an ever-growing number of special interest groups protesting against last week's published draft of the constitution could derail the army-backed government's plans for elections by the end of the year, analysts said.
Leaders of the coup say they expect protests to intensify this month and next as backers of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra try to rally support around PTV, a satellite television station the government refused to allow on air.
Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, a former army chief, said yesterday the government was listening to the demands and concerns of various disgruntled groups to defuse tensions.
"This government can assure that we will be able to keep everything under control and prevent violence from taking place through peaceful discussion because we don't want to see clashes between compatriot Thais," Surayud said.
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