Parliament Tackles Temple Land Disputes Nationwide
Parliament's Religion Committee is gathering nationwide data on temple land disputes after visiting Nakhon Sawan to study how monasteries acquire and register property rights.
On August 15, the Religion, Art and Culture Committee of the House of Representatives, led by deputy chair Chananth Thai-Sert, visited Nakhon Sawan province to study religious affairs and discuss solutions to temple land disputes. The committee met with senior monks and local officials at Wat Khao Thong in Phayuhakiri district to address concerns about how temple land is acquired, donated, and legally registered in accordance with monastic law.
The committee expressed worry that once land is donated to a temple, legal procedures and documentation must be completed promptly to prevent future ownership disputes. They cited the Wat Pa Adulyaram case in Khon Kaen as a cautionary example.
Chananth revealed that the committee will work with the National Office of Buddhism to gather detailed data on temple land problems nationwide, distinguishing between privately-owned temple land and state land used with permission for monastery construction. This information will be used to develop a national strategy for addressing the issue.
The committee also intends to request all provincial Buddhist affairs offices to survey and categorize temple land problems in their areas. Chananth stressed the urgency of the matter, as it involves law, land rights, religious property management, and relationships between temples, communities, and government agencies.
Following the meeting, the committee received two letters requesting assistance with land title documents from monks and residents at Wat Thep Nimit Sawang Tham in Nakhon Sawan.
