Mano Laohavanich, 60, once called Phra Mettanando, is a defector from the beleaguered Dhammakaya temple, where the head abbot, Dhammajayo, is wanted for questioning by the DSI in relation to the Klongchan Credit Union scandal. Mano has not only been a vocal critic of Dhammakaya since breaking his connections with the temple in 1995, but has also known Dhammajayo personally since the 1970s. Ahead of his talk at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT) as part of a panel discussion called “Politics in Religion” (Jun 22) we caught up with him to ask his thoughts on the current crises facing the Dhammakaya temple and Buddhism in Thailand.
