Monks return home following visa difficulty

Kathmandu: Thai monk Ampul left Nepal on Tuesday one day before his visa expired. He returned to Thailand after his visa extension request was rejected by the government without specifying the authentic reasons.

He had stayed in Nepal for 6 years to disseminate the peace and teachings of Buddha from Lumbini. Thai monk was very sad at the time of departure, according to Kantipur a vernacular national daily.

Similarly, many monks and nuns living in various nunneries and monasteries to serve the teachings of Buddhism are reported to be suffering from panic and traumatic conditions after the Home Ministry decided not to extend their visas.

Two Thai workers engaged in artistry and carpentry works of a monastery in the premises of Lumbini are panic at their precarious future.

Usually, the Lumbini Development Trust recommends the visa extension and then the visa is extended for one year. But this time, its recommendations have not been entertained by the Home Ministry.

The Home Ministry alleged that few of the monks and nuns were found staying in Kathmandu for longer periods after getting their visa extended for Lumbini which was against the norms.

However, this decision has adversely affected the monks and nuns of at least 14 countries including Thailand, Cambodia, Srilanka, Myanmar, and others.