Wat Dhammakaya , that's a topic to gain samvega in real time.
Actually it remembers much on the Cambodian young history, same same... everywhere increasing wealth, indulging in sensuality, power fight against the kind and later the Buddhists fighting each other in the name of the 3 Gems, while growing weaker the red motivated, those who could not take part on the sensuality directly, are in position.
Monks seizing special forces of the government... do you know what that means? Honestly Atma is happy to live in a country where such would have its proper re-regulations quickly and where a certain conduct of respect and proper behavior, everybody still a little aware on what place he/she actually stands, is still alive even fast following also disappearing.
In every state founded on laws, those monks would be rightly suddenly imprisoned, and nobody would doubt anything. Actually they hardly misuse the portion of respect they gained from the goodness of the Buddha, when taking on his label in shine orange to make it more attractive for those with much dust in the eyes.
Not long time ago the government had executed about 300 people in front of the eyes of the world, to keep the land and the hardly tamable people at a more global peace, thinking such works in long terms, and one does not need to doubt that such would be also made if people wear robes. And its also not needed to doubt that the polite monks would not make the same either, there is a long time history in doing so...
The wired thing is, that those who suffer form it most, are actually the initiators. Here a typical comment of an "Anagarika", deluded like the historical Anagarika with a typical communistic-postmodern approach, a certain social national "but we believe in a different social nationality" comment:
I'm seeing some guys in robes...not sure if they're acting like monks.
The Buddha did counsel kings and rulers of various types, but there's never been a suggestion that he lead a riot, or took a political position. It seems he always took a Dhammic position, and suggested that rulers implement the Dhamma in their governance.
Whatever decisions the Thai government makes, I hope it cools down these riotous monks, and provides a foundation for some mediated result, consistent with Dhammic principles. I also hope that the next Supreme Patriarch is a Bhikkhu ( or Bhikkhuni, one day) that has a spotless reputation, and is a leader that all of Thailand and Theravada can be proud of.
What western people really do not understand, that they actually have introduced all this disasters with there arrogance to believe that their wired ways of thinking do help anything in this world and so destruct every existing value in regard of conducts. Monks who would go against the government, would be simply have been executed some 100, 150 years ago and they will be even today, when things ripe.
And not knowing that actually the Bhikkhu heart ace, is the next destructing weapon of what the different groups have invested already in the background, the nuclear bomb of this battle, will be a "dream of fools" become true, as they wish. There some not aware of the joker Bhikkhuni ordination, and you will soon see this card being on the poker table, as for such and for nothing else was this card created.
Stay tuned for the next steps in SOAs modern initiated dismantlement of any kind of reliable refuge aside of stilling and nourishing greed, of course for their only possibility to grow again and again to collapse.
Once those pseudo liberal "free thinker" will understand what they actually have done, all what they will be able to is to fall apart in remorse, like a foolish child once finds a reason to visit mothers crave and starts to realize. That's the way it is, Free Tibet, free Thailand, free Burma, free... the call for freedom for our desire leads to its causes. And then they walk along the wall again, "We don't need no education..." finding that this was the reason that leaded them into ground or years zero.
This world will be soon full of Dalai Lamas and Anagarikas, constantly running eager against the wall made from the ways they are thinking, till every being is caught up.
Coming and sometimes even going form a imperialistic way of thinking, people get even not smarter when they are old, nourishing the next battle they will be involved afterwards.
And the fool monks are running instead after the Buddha Dhamma Sangha, after those self-maintained heros seeing disrespect and claiming for rights as something worthy and respect and gratitude in regard of those in charge as worthless.
Actually the "Sangha" has given up to take the Buddha as their leader, they are leaded by laypeople since the ways lay people live attracts them more. So having given up the ways of following the leader, they run demo(lution)crazy, united destructing any graspable worthy value aside of gain. That is having the forces of Samsara as the judging leader, democrazy.
And now, reflecting a little deeper, who aside of the "peace maker" really make improper troubles in this world?
Western really underestimate the Asian ways, especially SEAsian ways, there is a force of willingness to be that no technique aside of the old one, can handle it. If you like to tame a hungry and old and sick tiger and you are not his relative, you will cause death nothing else.
The only way one could help, is to appreciate matters of gratitude, generosity, service and paying respect, but that does not seems tasty by the so smart modern people so they introduce they corrupt wisdom and views and make prisoner simply crazy and endangering the whole world.
A comment from a news reader, in regard of the global "we don't need no education" approaches (its not just Thai in regard of tradition and its use):
"Proves that the indoctrination all Thais receive works whatever the direction each sect travels in.