Nun's bizarre rituals violate rights: NHRC

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Nun's bizarre rituals violate rights: NHRC
By The Nation 2011-04-29

A so-called karmacorrection ritual supervised by a famous nun shows clear violations of human rights, National Human Rights Commissioner Visa Benjamano said yesterday.

In the ritual, Maechee Tossaporn Tewapitak told a woman to correct her karma by welcoming the sexual touches of a younger man.

"The victim doesn't know her rights have been violated," Visa commented yesterday.

She said the nun used verbal violence during the ritual and her advice was inappropriate.

Tossaporn has offered karmacorrection rituals at Wat Pichayatikaram in Bangkok for years.

In the wake of the nun's questionable practices, Culture Minister Nipit Intarasombat ordered the ministry's Culture Watch Centre to study clips of the rituals that were posted on the Internet.

The centre's director, Ladda Tangsupachai, said she found many clips in which the nun encouraged the wrong attitudes and condoned inappropriate actions such as repeatedly forcing water into a girl's nostrils. However, she said most of these clips had already been removed, perhaps by the posters themselves.

"Posting such clips is a legal offence under the 2007 Computer Crime Act. Offenders face up to five years in jail and/or a maximum fine of Bt100,000," she said.

Amnaj Buasiri, who heads the Sangha Supreme Council secretariat, said Wat Pichayatikaram's abbot, Phra Prommolee, had already reprimanded Tossaporn and instructed her to adjust her teachings.

"Currently, there is no law to sanction punishment against the nun. The abbot, however, may consider forcing her out of the nunhood if she doesn't pay heed to his reprimands," Amnaj said.

He said the Supreme Sangha Council would be able to enforce rules against nuns only after the Buddhism Protection Bill was legislated.

"The bill is being amended in response to recommendations from the Council of State," Amnaj added.

Thai Nun Institute Foundation board member Maechee Ananta Nakboon said Tossaporn should indeed adjust her teachings because they were not in line with Buddhism.

"We hope she will adjust them because her actions may hurt the image of nuns in general," Ananta said.