Villagers File Case Against Media Outlets for Allegedly Misreporting News

 | Mon 29 Oct 2018 09:43 ICT

According to reports this week from Pang Lung villagers in Pong Yaeng, Mae Rim District, community members marched to the Damrongdhama centre today, October 29th, to file a case against certain media sources for allegedly misreporting a story about a conflict in their village.  According to some media outlets, the villagers allegedly vandalised water jars in a temple because they disapproved of the abbot’s behavior.

Arie Puntiya, 51, one of the villagers, confirmed that there was no attempt to banish the abbot, as some media sources claimed. The water jars, Arie claims, were given earlier this month by a resort but it was unclear whether the jars were permanently gifted to the temple or merely on loan and needed to be returned. The temple’s abbot contacted the owner of the jars, but did not receive any response. The abbot reportedly had to dispose of the jars.

Due to the water jar story, which has been reported by Khaosod, Workpoint, Chiang Mai News and others, villagers have struggled to organize the Kathin ceremony at the temple, with some choosing to withdraw support for the event.