THE POLITICS OF APPOINTING HONORIFIC

Abstract

            This research article is aimed 1) to study about the current structure of the government system which is used by monks or Sangha as a guideline to be appointed for the honorific, and 2) to study about the procedures of making a relationship of the Sangha group or the monk group to be appointed for the honorific. This research is a qualitative research. The research instrument is in-depth interview. There are 30 informants in this study and the data was descriptively analyzed.

           The research result revealed that; 1. the current structure of the governance system which is used by monks or Sangha as a guideline to be appointed for the honorific, according to Sangha Act B.E. 2505 ( Second Edition), Sangha Act B.E. 2535, (Third Edition) Sangha Act B.E. 2560, (Fourth Edition) B.E. 2561 concerning the structure of the governance system of the Sangha group, reveal in overall that the Sangha governance and the position taking as well as the priest rank appointing of authoritative monks in different levels in order to appoint the criteria of the Sangha to be nominated and appointed both in normal and special methods or it relies on the power of the relationship in order to help being nominated or being promoted by using the method of power of relationship making as well as the outcomes of their works on Buddhist spreading, the outcomes of social works, and the outcomes of the education in Phra Pariyattidhamma School in Dhamma-Pali Section in order for the fan rank of the honorific appointing requisition nowadays. 2. The procedure of making a relationship among Sangha ministry as a guideline to be nominated and honorific appointed reveals that in overall the relationship between the higher-ranking monk and the monk under their governance have already shown some relationship such as students in Phra Pariyattidhamma School or having the same teacher, including their personal childhood friendship during their study. These factors could help support the nomination or appointing honorific of the Sangha ministry to a higher-ranking one which may affect the requisition of other monks who also request for the honorific appointing.