ABSTRACT

In response to a dual crisis of legitimacy, ruling political elites in Thailand have, since the 2014 military coup, been engaged in a variety of initiatives aimed at reforming the relationship between the state and the Buddhist monkhood. These efforts were intensified after the death of King Bhumibol in October 2016 and the ascension to the throne by King Vajiralongkorn. Through amendments to the Sangha Act that invoke “ancient royal traditions,” repression of “corrupt” elements and disciplinary measures that separate monks from “worldly” affairs, the military-monarchical state has asserted domination over the ecclesiastical realm. These developments should be understood as part of a concerted effort to “purify” Buddhism ahead of the royal coronation, in which the Buddhist ecclesiastical hierarchy was employed to sacralise the new king and his reign. In a longer-term perspective, they represent an attempt to reverse the perceived hollowing out of the sangha and to restore institutional Buddhism to its historic role as a central pillar of political legitimation in the Thai political system. Sangha reform furthermore constituted the opening move in a post-Bhumibol game of politics that has amplified a neo-traditionalist and absolutist mode of monarchical government in Thailand and consolidated Vajiralongkorn’s power.

摘要

为应对合法性的双重危机，泰国执政的政治精英自 2014 年军事政变以来，采取了各种旨在改革国家与佛教僧侣关系的举措。在 2016 年 10 月普密蓬国王去世和哇集拉隆功国王即位后，这些努力得到了加强。通过修订援引“古代皇室传统”的僧伽法，镇压“腐败”因素以及将僧侣与“世俗”事务分开的纪律措施，军事君主国宣称对教会领域的统治。这些发展应该被理解为在皇家加冕之前“净化”佛教的共同努力的一部分，其中佛教教会等级制度被用来神圣化新国王和他的统治。从长远的角度来看，它们代表着一种尝试，试图扭转人们认为的僧伽空心化，并恢复制度佛教作为泰国政治体系中政治合法性中心支柱的历史角色。僧伽改革进一步构成了后普密蓬政治博弈的开端，扩大了泰国新传统主义和专制主义的君主政府模式，巩固了哇集拉隆功的权力。