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[Adventurer]

Last Updated: Wednesday, 25 April 2007, 14:02 GMT 15:02 UK

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Thai monks rally on religion call

Monks and elephants walked in searing heat to the parliament
Hundreds of Thai monks have led nine elephants in a march on parliament calling for Buddhism to be enshrined as the country's official religion.
They were joined by more than 1,000 supporters who also want Buddhism to be declared the national religion in the new post-coup constitution.

The leaders behind last September's coup have indicated they may be willing to bow to the monks' demands.

Critics fear it could inflame tensions in the Muslim-majority deep south.

In the south a three-year Islamic insurgency - in a country where 95% of the population are Buddhist - has killed more than 2,000 people.

Constitution 'review'

Correspondents described a colourful procession as monks dressed in saffron-robes walked alongside the nine elephants 30km (18 miles) from Bangkok's western suburbs to parliament.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6591519.stm

[igotthisguitar]

Cool

Metta
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metta

[happeningthang]

I don't understand what this will achieve. Buddhism is the Thai national religion already, by sheer force of numbers. What affect will making this "official" have on the insurgency?