Thailand's Queen Calms Protests Over New Constitution

Sirikit, Queen of Thailand, seems to have calmed the protests over the country's proposed new Constitution that does not recognize Buddhism as the country's official religion. NNN-TNA today reports that the queen, in an address marking her 75th birthday, said that Buddhism should be held in high esteem as a guiding light for all Thais, but that the religion should not be mixed with politics. Following this pronouncement, Gen. Thongchai Kua-sakul, chairman of the Buddhist Organisation of Thailand, said his organization would not organize additional protests even if next Sunday's national referendum approves the new constitution. (See prior related posting.)