The Venerable Phra Prachak is a quiet Buddhist monk. But for his effort to save the forests from destruction, he has become a target of the Thai military’s National Peace Keeping Council
Beautiful Forest
In 1989, after 12 years in monastic robes, Venerable Phra arrived at a forest named Dong Yai in the Prakum district of northeast Thailand. With the encouragement of the villagers, he agreed to establish a monastery on the condition that the villagers help him protect 5000 hectares of forest for the practice of dharma, an aspect of the Buddhist religion, and ecological conservation.
Villagers Threatened
The monk soon learned that the 12 villages in the area were in dispute with the authorities, in particular the military, which had been trying to relocate them on to the poorer plots of land, ostensibly because their land was a national forest preserve.
No Longer Needed
When the villagers had first settled in the forest several decades ago, it was with the permission of the military, who used them as a front in the fight against an armed insurgency in the area. Now that the military’s need had been met and the insurgency put down, the villagers are no longer needed. In fact they were impeding a newer interest of the military: commercial explotation of the forest.
Private Paper Company
The military-allowed a private paper concern to plant eucalyptus and bamboo on the villager’s land. the villagers, in response, twice burned the plantations, leading to the arrest of their leaders.
Plot to cut Trees
To head off the resistance, the local authorities allowed local businessmen to pay the villagers to cut down the bigger trees in the forest. Once the big trees are cut, that tract of forest can be classified as “degraded” and subjected to reforestation – that is, planting with fast-growing pulpwood.
Imaginative Response
Venerable Phra responded with “tree ordination.” Traditionally, Thai people tie yellow robes around sacred trees, especially Bhodhi trees, believing there is a spirit which can do good or harm to people in the vicinity. Hence the trees should be respected.
Monk now the Enemy
The tree ordinations turned Venerable Phra into the main enemy of those wanting to exploit the forest. There was a machine gun attack on his monastery. Moves were made to divide the villagers by discriminatory measures against those who supported the monk. Renewed efforts were made to drive the villagers from the area.
Monk Arrested
After the 1991 coup harassment increased, as the military destroyed parts of the villages with tractors, subsequently arresting Venerable Phra when he protested against this action.
Press Conference
After speaking at a press conference at the Foreign correspondents Club in Bangkok September 25, Venerable Phra left his home village escorted by reporters, monks, students and environmental activists.
Arrested Again
In October, Venerable Phra was arrested again, this time for rallying a local environment group of 400 to lend nonviolent support to a nearby village where the military had cut down crops.