Re: Iconoclasm & Heresy in Bangkok

Thanks for the information, Justin.

I'm searching for the EFEO library today --hopefully I'll take a look
at that "Earlier than 8th century Mon inscription" that Lorrillard
mentions in his article.

For "good news" to contrast to the Brahma-shrine murder debacle, I'll
note that an idol that was found floating in the Mekong was quite
sufficient to inspire a local Buddhist revival not far from Vientiane.
  The villagers were massing to see this thing, and eventually
requested the attention of some kind of government/university official
--who pointed out that it was both plastic and Hindu in origin, and
therefore not the ancient relic that some were supposing it to be.

> The latest reports suggest
> (and these have been confirmed by a few people I know close to
> the investigation) that the "deranged man" was Muslim. The
> Thai gov't apparently does not want to fan the flames of anger
> by reporting this.

The fact that it isn't being reported is perhaps more significant that
the proposition itself.  I also find the assumption/assertion that he
was "deranged" a rather sudden lurch of judgement on the common man's
part.

> Other reports suggest Taksin was behind it
> because he wants to replace the sore of the shrine with his
> own amulets and Khmer yantras.

That is truly hilarious.  Somehow, I think he would be more likely to
replace it with a statue of himself.

> It is very sad that a man was
> killed.

That is precisely the point that none of the press seems to observe: a
human being was murdered --and that is rather more deserving of
investigation and criminal prosecution than the smashing of a 1956
plaster idol, that was pretty well a tourist-scam operated at a profit
by a hotel-corporation to begin with.  It is certainly true that
Sino-Thais regarded the statue with devotion; but the scheduled dances
and fee schedule were pretty overt cues as to how little "religion"
had to do with this fee-for-service operation.  As with most
pseudo-Hinduism in Thailand, more than 90% of the devotees were ethnic
Chinese, including huge numbers of Chinese visitors (e.g., from
Taiwan).  Someone should deliver a paper as to why (Thai) Ganesh &
Brahma images have such a resonance for ethnic Chinese both within the
Kingdom and visiting from abroad. I've never met a Laotian who
owned/worshipped a Ganesha, but there are certainly Sino-Thai/Chinese
entrepreneurs in Lao who do so.

E.M.