Palang Dharma Party

Palang Dharma Party
พรรคพลังธรรม
Power of Dharma Party
LeaderChamlong Srimuang (1988–1992)
Thaksin Shinawatra (1995–1996)
Founded9 June 1988
Dissolved19 October 2007
IdeologyPolitical Buddhism[1]
Anti-corruption[2]

The Palang Dharma Party (Thai: พรรคพลังธรรม, RTGSPhak Phalang Tham; translated as "power of Dharma",[3] or "moral force",[4] PDP for short) was a Buddhist-inspired political party in Thailand founded by Chamlong Srimuang in 1988, associated with the Santi Asoke sect of Buddhism.[5] The Thai word tham can be used to refer both to "morality", and "dharma", the teachings of Buddhism. Phak Phalang Tham was a political party, not to be confused with its precursor, Ruam Phalang ("collective force"), the campaign group that backed Chamlong Srimuang in the 1985 Bangkok gubernatorial election. To some extent, the PDP evolved into a political party from Ruam Phalang. The latter group was largely made up of Santi Asoke devotees, former Young Turks, and other political activists and community leaders. Many of the PDP's early members were drawn from the ranks of Ruam Phalang.[6]

  1. ^ David Ambuel (2006). Tun-jen Cheng; Deborah A. Brown (eds.). New Karma: Buddhism and Democratization in Thailand. M.E. Sharpe. p. 93. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  2. ^ J. Denis Derbyshire; Ian Derbyshire (2006). "Thailand". Encyclopedia of World Political Systems. M.E. Sharpe. p. 264.
  3. ^ Ambuel, David (2006). "Buddhism and Democratization in Thailand". In Tun-jen Cheng, Deborah A. Brown (ed.). Religious Organizations And Democratization: Case Studies From Contemporary Asia. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe. pp. 93–94. ISBN 9780765615084.
  4. ^ Tun-jen Cheng, Deborah A. Brown, ed. (2006). Religious Organizations And Democratization: Case Studies From Contemporary Asia. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe. p. 19. ISBN 9780765615084.
  5. ^ Swearer, Donald K. (1999). "Centre and Periphery: Buddhism and Politics in Modern Thailand". In Ian Harris (ed.). Buddhism and politics in twentieth-century Asia. London: Continuum. p. 222. ISBN 9780826451781.
  6. ^ McCargo, Duncan (1997). Chamlong Srimuang and the New Thai Politics. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 9780312165888.