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I have been interested through my wife to follow the flood relief efforts of Santi Asoke, the Bangkok centre of the Asoke movement founded by Samana Photirak. It occurred to me that Santi Asoke might be the equivalent in Thailand of the Salvation Army.
Like the Salvation Army, the Asoke movement follows a strict and puritanical interpretation of their religion's teaching, Buddhism in the Asoke case. They were founded by an individual with a vision and sense of mission (Phra Photirak is the Thai version of General Booth?). They have a simple uniform; Asoke members wear a dark blue peasant shirt and pants or long skirt - footwear optional, and they work for the community for no pay. They differ in that they do not go into pubs and bars selling "The War Cry"
and they don't have bands with young women and tamborines (though they enjoy music and singing, where the themes and lyrics are wholesome - community-directed rather than romantic). Santi Asoke, unlike the Salvos, refuse donations, except in extreme circumstances, until the donor has shown evidence of support for Asoke values (usually at least seven visits to the Asoke Centre).Unless you think I'm an Asokian, let me say that their form of Buddhism is not mine (as the Salvation Army's form of Christianity would not be mine either); nor do I support some of their versions of "engaged Buddhism", which to me are excessively partisan and sometimes chauvinistic.
In concrete terms, since the flooding began, Santi Asoke volunteers have been making up food parcels (about 3000 a day when my wife was helping a couple of weeks ago), building simple boats and life jackets, donating rice and clothing, providing natural medicines, and - as you can see in the video here: http://www.boonniyom...p-4517-0-0.html - making thousands of what they call "peace bombs" - small balls made up of a cohesive sandy substance containing water-purifying micro-organisms that, when thrown in dirty water, have a significant purifying effect over a wide area. I can't really give details, as my Thai isn't good enough on the first couple of times listening.
I'm not sure what other coordinated flood relief efforts are being made by Buddhist lay and monastic communities in Thailand. One sees photos of monks pitching in, but how coordinated these efforts are I don't know.
Is Santi Asoke the Thai equivalent of the Salvation Army?
