Makha Bucha Day

Makha Bucha Day

This Buddhist day commemorates two separate events that occurred on the same date 45 years apart, during the Buddha's lifetime 2,500 years ago. The first event was the coming together of 1,250 monks from all locations and directions, to meet and be ordained by the Buddha. This event occurred seven months after the Buddha began his teaching. The second event, which occurred 45 years later, was the Buddha delivering his teachings shortly before his death.

Makha Bucha Day represents a great deal in terms of the development of Buddhism in Thailand. It is a highly ceremonial event and in Thailand it's an event that was only recently revived as part of Thai Buddhist tradition. The Supreme Patriarch of the Marble Temple in Bangkok, Kittsobhana Mahathera, did this in 1957. Before 1957, the full moon day of the third lunar month was celebrated as a Buddhist Holy Day. Because of local ceremonies that occupied this day in different parts of the country, the Makha Bucha ceremonies today take on the different flavors of the various locales.

Makha Bucha day in Pattaya February 2008

At this time in the evolution of Buddhism and Buddhist principles in Thailand, it is important to understand how the majority of Thai people view Buddha and the Buddhist philosophy.

Each year the various Temples all over the country are busy with people making 'Tamboon' or making merit.

It's worthwhile checking out temple in your neighborhood and observe this religious event.

Camille

Corruption and history of the Thai ID cards

Corruption and history of the Thai ID cards

Here's an interesting article from today's The Nation which covers the current corruption in developing a new Thai ID card and it's history.

After eight years of delay and the outlay of billions of baht, the "Smart Card" project to provide all Thais with a modern ID card has become bogged down in a corruption-plagued scandal.
The project was started by the Thaksin Shinawatra government in 2004, but no investigation has ever been ordered into why Bt7.91 billion was approved for 64 million identity cards for all Thais, which were wracked with problems and divided into three lots over the past five to six years.

Only the first 12 million cards were issued completely in the first lot in 2004, after Bt888 million out of a total Bt1.67 billion was approved. These cards cost Bt74 apiece after two other bid lots were abolished following allegations of corruption.

No details are immediately available as to where the remaining half of this initial government outlay has gone.

Of a total of 26 million cards sought in the second lot at a bidding price of Bt962 million, half were awarded to IRC HST Joint Venture for Bt486.8 million, or Bt37.45 apiece. However, a complaint was lodged with the ICT Ministry, which later aborted the bid, and reopened it in 2007.

The 2007 auction sought a full 26 million cards, and ended in a Bt920-million deal awarded to VSK Joint Venture in July that year, which priced the cards at Bt35 apiece.

Of these Thai ID cards, I know the last 3 versions, not including the smart card

Bidding for a third lot - 26 million cards -was opened in June 2009. VK Joint Venture won the Bt902-million contract, which required new conditions set up by the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA). These included new designs and harder-to-crack anti-forgery features.

The third-lot cards, called IE model, were embedded with IC Chip NXP (Model P5CD080), which offers 80kb of memory. That was greater than that issued in first and second lots. This version also featured a Card Operating System - Model JCOP V 2.4.1, which complied with Global Platform version 2.1.1 requirements.

Five days after Cabinet approved the deal, on December 11 last year, then DOPA director-general Wongsak Sawasdiphanich received an Interior Ministry document asking DOPA to reconsider the contract it had just awarded.

Wongsak set up two panels to study the ministry directive. They concluded that the project should proceed further with the IE model - or for the current "partly-smart" version to be dusted off. But the vote by both panels to use a "non-smart" version was not unanimous.

On March 9 this year, the ICT ministry questioned the DOPA decision and asked for it to re-approve the IE model.

DOPA later backtracked and approved the IE model. But all agencies never explained their decisions or the reasons for their about-turns.

The inaction of all agencies involved over the issue means that anyone applying for ID cards is given a "yellow paper" permit as a temporary substitute for actual cards, like in the old days when the normal procedure for issuing an ID card took 15 days.

People seeking to obtain ID cards are not even issued the third-generation "non-smart" cards, because district officers are not sure what cards they should issue if people apply for a new card or seek to renew one that has expired.

After DOPA approved the IE model, the ICT Ministry handed 600,000 cards to the department. But days after receiving the first million cards from the ministry, DOPA rejected them all on June 14. It said the IE model violated two conditions - the front of the cards has red microtext laid across it, and the back of the card does not feature the map of Thailand.

This type of technical problem occurred previously when DOPA rejected the first six million cards many years ago - because they could not be used by the department's computer. The problem ended when Thaksin ordered DOPA to accept all cards.

It remains to be seen how the problem will be tackled this time. It may eventually be dealt with by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who needs to resolve problems between the Interior Ministry and the ICT Ministry.

Chakri Memorial Day

Chakri Memorial Day

Today's Chakri Memorial Day commemorates the establishment of the Chakri Dynasty and the founding of Bangkok by King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke in 1782. Officially known as King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke the Great Day and Chakri Dynasty Memorial Day (วันพระบาทสมเด็จพระพุทธยอดฟ้าจุฬาโลกมหาราชและวันที่ระลึกมหาจักรีบรมราชวงศ์).

Prior to the establishment of Chakri Dynasty (the current royal lineage), the Kingdom of Siam (former name of Thailand) was in turmoil.

Aggressive Burmese troops occupied the Northern Kingdom of Lan Na and were proceeding down south to the Siamese Royal Capital of Ayutthaya. A young man of noble Ayutthaya descent named Thong Duang (born in 1737) commanded the bitter fights in the Northern war.

Despite the efforts to fight back, they were gradually forced to fall back until the Burmese had gotten a grip on the Royal Capital.

Ayutthaya fell on April 8th, 1767 and the Siamese people fled to the city of Thonburi located further downriver on the mighty Chaophraya River.

The beautiful city of Ayutthaya was destroyed by the Burmese, temples plundered, gold and jewelry looted, monks and women were cruelly effected. But the Burmese had suffered heavily in the taking of Ayutthaya and knew the Siamese would return to take up battle. Knowing they could not hold Ayutthaya, the Burmese retreated after only one week.

War campaigns continued over the years, ebbing and flowing, until the Siamese armies united during 1779 in Thonburi. Thong Duang now known as Chakri became the military commander. He realized that the Royal Court of King Taaksin was in such disharmony because the King, weary of wars, had resorted to religion rather than addressed the needs of his subjects. The lack of leadership caused rebellions to break out. Rebels marched on Thonburi, calling for the overthrow and replacement of King Taaksin with their beloved "Chakri." As a result Chaophraya Chakri took the title "King Ramathibodi" and reigned as King Rama I from April 6 1782 until 1809.

As an experienced military campaigner, King Rama I of the Chakri Dynasty knew that the city of Thonburi was vulnerable to possible Burmese attack from the west. Accordingly, he commanded that a new Capital be established across Chaophraya River. And so Krung - Thep (Bangkok) was created.

Chakri Day commemorates the founding of the Chakri Dynasty in 1782 by King Rama I. In the new capital city of Bangkok, King Rama I built the Grand Palace that now houses the Emerald Buddha. In addition, he helped release Thailand from the Burmese control, after Ayutthaya succumbed 14 years earlier.

In commemorating “Chakri Day,” the national flag is proudly displayed by the people of Thailand and both government officials and members of the community participate in traditional ceremonies, making offerings of flowers and garlands at the many statues of Kings in the House of Chakri.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the current King, known as King Rama IX or the ninth King of the Chakri dynasty. A Royal ceremony is performed by the King to pay respects to King Rama I the Great, the founder of the Chakri Dynasty.

With thanks to the Royal Thai Consulate General in Vancouver, Canada