SUFFiciENcy EcONOMy ANd GRASSROOtS DEvElOPMENt
SUFFiciENcy EcONOMy ANd GRASSROOtS DEvElOPMENt
SUFFiciENcy EcONOMy ANd GRASSROOtS DEvElOPMENt
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The Meaning of Sufficiency Economy <br />
International Conference<br />
241<br />
the vegetarian restaurant, for instance, work for free. 15 To work is to practise and<br />
show ‘devotion’(siasala) to Lord Buddha.<br />
Money is pooled together in a central office (Satharana boki), from where<br />
different work bases can borrow money for their projects. Asoke group started their<br />
own private saving group (Sajja omsap), from where the individual members can<br />
borrow money for various purposes. The projects must be both viable and ethically<br />
sound. The money has to be paid back in a reasonable time, but with no interest. In<br />
other words, it is very similar to some informal credit unions and micro loan projects<br />
in other developing countries.<br />
Many centres have gasoline stations, which are leased from a local gasoline<br />
company. Many centres also have libraries, health care centres and dental clinics.<br />
Some centres have pharmacy shops, rice mills, and bookstores.<br />
The centres can borrow money from the outside institutions for their<br />
construction projects or for other purposes. Some centres have received money from<br />
the Cooperatives Promotion Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and<br />
Cooperatives, or from the Thai Traditional Medical Institute. It is equally possible to<br />
borrow from other Asoke centres or from the central office (Satharana boki) located<br />
in Santi Asoke. The other centre, where Asoke communities can borrow money is<br />
the Welfare Fund (Gongbun sawaddikhan). <br />
Ultimately bunniyom is regarded as a method to create strong local<br />
communities, which give a solid ground for the entire country to survive and avoid<br />
economic crises and to gain some level of national self-sufficiency. According to the<br />
Asoke ideology, freedom from materialism is the real freedom and freedom from<br />
greed leads to a peaceful society. Bunniyom is regarded as a practical and concrete<br />
way to decrease selfishness.<br />
To donate money to the Asoke temples or foundations is not solicited the way<br />
it s done for instance in Wat Dhammakaya and many other mainstream temples.<br />
Visitors who come for the first time to Asoke are not at all allowed to donate money.<br />
They must visit the temple at least seven times to show that they understand the<br />
teachings of the temple before they are allowed to donate. Working for the temple is<br />
valued higher than any material contribution, as work is regarded as spiritual<br />
practice.<br />
<br />
CONCLUDING REMARKS<br />
The Asoke group has become an important player in the wider discourse on<br />
alternative economic systems and Buddhist economics. The latest economic crisis<br />
may even increase the global interest in entirely new economic policies. In Thailand,<br />
the economic initiatives of the Asoke group have been positively received, but the<br />
15<br />
In 2011, the wages were 3,000 Thai baht per month.