A look at the dark sides of Buddhism (video)
We live in a time when mindfulness, meditation and zen therapies have gained prominence in our daily lives and wellness practices. These concepts are borrowed from Buddhism, an ancient religion that spread from Asia to the rest of the world. However, as professor of religious studies Paul van der Velde explains, a misunderstanding has arisen: many of us see Buddhism as a peaceful or zen faith, but Buddhism is much more than that. There is also talk of abuse and war.
A Dutch eyewitness account of the destruction of Ayutthaya
It was the dramatic climax of the Second Burmese-Siamese War (1765-1767). On April 7, 1767, after an exhausting siege of nearly 15 months, Ayutthaya, the capital of the kingdom of Siam, as it was then so beautifully phrased, was captured and destroyed by Burmese troops 'by fire and sword'.
Prasat Preah Vihear: Stones of stumbling….
In a previous article I briefly discussed Prasat Phanom Rung and the way in which this Khmer temple complex was upgraded to Thai national cultural-historical heritage. In the margins of this story I briefly referred to Prasat Praeh Vihear to illustrate the complexity of the relationship between the experience of identity and history. Today I would like to go into the history of Praeh Vihear, for many in Thailand a lot of stumbling blocks…
While the entire Western world and some countries in Asia strongly condemn Russia's attack on Ukraine, a sovereign country, Thailand does not. Prime Minister Prayut says that Thailand remains neutral.
Two rival groups of monkeys in Lopburi go to war
Last Wednesday in the streets of Lopburi, a real brawl broke out between two rival "kingdoms" of monkeys. It was an unprecedented battle of more than 10 minutes for Lopburi.
The Franco-Thai War in 1941
What is less known about the Second World War is the mini-war between France and Thailand. Canadian Dr. Andrew McGregor researched and wrote a report, which I found on the Military History Online website. Below is the (partially abridged) translation.