Time Asia Magazine Criticises Thai Decision to Ban Falun Gong Meeting: "I Thought Thailand Meant "Land of the Free"

On Thursday March 1 2001, Time Asia Magazine published an article by Robert Horn entitled “I Thought Thailand Meant "Land of the Free", in which the Thai government was criticised for forcing the cancellation of an international meeting of Falun Gong practitioners scheduled for April in Bangkok. The article said that the country had shamed itself by kowtowing to Beijing, following the public announcement by several government ministers, including Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, for the meeting to be banned, because it would “hurt relations with China”. It was also reported that the wealthy Sino-Thai barons who run the Business Relations Association of Thailand, the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Thai-Chinese Association had given press conferences demanding the government ban the meeting because it would hurt economic relations with China.

The article harshly criticised the decision as an act of persecution and pointed out that despite the countries pride in the fact that it has never been never colonised, its claims of independence in foreign policy, and its profession to be devoutly Buddhist, the government in Bangkok is allowing Beijing to dictate religious policy in Thailand; "Thais will tell you that the three pillars of their country are "Nation, Religion and the Monarchy." Nation and religion sure took a beating with this atrocious decision"

The author of the newspaper article concluded "This isn't the first time Thailand has kowtowed to Beijing on religious issues. The Dalai Lama, the world's foremost Buddhist leader, can't get a visa to visit Buddhist Thailand. It seems some Thais would rather worship at the altar of money than defend their country's proud traditions of independence and religious freedom."