The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand issued a pastoral statement on January 27 describing the Church as a non-partisan “moral force” and “social conscience” in the upcoming general election.
Archbishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana of Bangkok, the conference’s president, described voting
as a “moral requirement” in which “citizens take a common responsibility for the common good.” The prelate called for “monitoring, verifying, and maintaining moral truth at every stage” of the election.
Archbishop Arpondratana added:
The foundation of leadership qualities is clearly laid in the Bible. When Moses was instructed by God to choose a ruler, “Choose from among the people a man who is able, God-fearing, faithful, and does not take bribes, and makes him his leader” (Exodus 18:21).
Corruption, the prelate warned, “destroys the nation. Political corruption is a betrayal of the people and a serious violation of social justice.”
Thailand, a Southeast Asian nation of 70 million (map), is 87% Buddhist, 6% Muslim, and 2% ethnic religionist.