13 Thai Buddhist monks, going to Pakistan, stopped in Rajasthan’s Barmer

Under the foreigners’ act, the entry of foreign nationals is restricted areas of Barmer district. They have to get the district administration’s nod to enter these areas, according to the act.

Thirteen Buddhist monks, who were on a peace journey from Thailand to France, were stopped in Rajasthan’s Barmer district on Monday after they failed to show the required documents to cross over to Pakistan, police said.

Officials said the Thai monks were stopped as they did not have the valid permission to enter the restricted bordering areas in Barmer. The monks, they said, had visas to enter India and Pakistan but their other itinerary has not been mentioned in those documents.

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Under the foreigners’ act, the entry of foreign nationals is restricted areas of Barmer district. They have to get the district administration’s nod to enter these areas, according to the act.

They were brought to Barmer where they have been kept in a hotel, a police official said.

“The 13 Thai monks are on a peace journey and have valid single entry visa of India and Pakistan. But, the route of their travel has not been specifically mentioned in their documents…” Vijay Singh Charan, circle officer in Barmer, said.

Charan said they have explained the rules to the monks and also informed higher authorities about the situation.

“If the Thai monks are able to arrange permission to go through this route, we will allow them. Otherwise, they will have to return,” the police officer said.

Phra Sutham Nateetong, the leader of the delegation, said while speaking to reporters they did not know the reason behind the police action.

Nateetong said he had completed a peace journey of 10,000 kilometres from Thailand to New York in 2019 and this time along with 12 other monks he is on a similar mission from Thailand to France and will cover about 9000km.

The monk said they want to convey the message of peace, happiness and love to a world, which has so many problems, through their march.

He said his delegation has so far walked around 4000km to reach India from Thailand.