Since a few decades, in fact since the beginning of real economic development in Thailand, Buddhism is facing problems.

• First problem is the decrease of monks. Of course there is still a lot of monks in Thailand, about 200 000 but the number is declining (same as in Europe where the number of priests is also declining). One of the major problem is to find new monks. Now with the growing of the consumption society, less young people are becoming monks. Before for most people, becoming a monk was a choice of life. Now some people become monks not by religious choice but only to escape their own life. Becoming a monk brings high status and for some people it is the only way to reach higher rank in society.
  
  
• Second problem is that people go less often in temples, especially in big cities. And of course donations to temples are declining. Before Thai people went to temples at least for every "wan phra" (once a week), now most people only go for major feasts. Upcountry where life is not so stressed, more people still go to temple.
  
  
• Third problem is due to monks forgetting Dhamma rules. For example in 1998 an abbot did build a Buddha statue with a position different from the official positions recommended by the Sangha. Then he refused to remove it because more faithful visited the temple and donated more money. He even sold holy water. Is that business or Buddhism ? It is very far from the Lord Buddha's original teachings. The potential danger for Thai Buddhism is often inside and not outside.
  
  
• Fourth problem is contest inside Buddhism. During the 20^th century Thai Sangha has confronted with other Buddhist movements:
  
  
  1. * The Suan Mokh School of the late reformist monk Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, for example, stresses mindfulness "here-and-now" and rationalism in core Buddhist teachings as opposed to animist believes often found in popular Buddhism. 
     
     
  2. * The Forest Monks school, stresses a reclusive, meditative life. 
     
     
  3. * The cult-like Huppa Sawan focuses on mysticism.
     
     
  4. * The fundamentalist Santi Asoke emphasizes self-sufficiency and anti-consumerism.
     
     
  5. * Dhammakaya movement incorporates consumer values with popular Buddhism. Dhammakaya movement main temple is located at Pathum Pani. In 1999 it has been accused to act like a sect, to have distorted and to have commercialised Buddhism. Still the Sangha council has not taken a clear position and Police has started to investigate into Phra Dhammachayo (leader of Dhammakaya movement) assets and soon he will appear in a trial.

Thai Buddhism has fallen victim to the 1997 crippling economic crisis which is forcing devotees to curb participation in religious activities. A survey of 1,253 Bangkok residents by the Thai Farmers Bank research centre found 43.5 percent were cutting back on religious events, such as temple-going, which normally involve donations of food or money. The most popular religious activity among respondents was going to the temple (19.1 percent), followed by the early-morning practice of giving alms to monks at 18.1 percent and praying (17.1 percent). The average sum of money given to monks had fallen to 50 bath a time, from between 100 and 200 bath during the country's boom years. A separate survey of 59 abbots of Buddhist temples found a quarter had noticed the faithful were donating significantly less money to their local temples. A third said their temples were having severe financial problems because of a lack of funds, while 12.7 percent said their temples were increasingly the target of thieves. Some 16.2 percent said more people were coming to ask for free meals and 14.5 percent said monks were receiving fewer alms in their morning rounds.

Articles about monks can be found in Thai newspapers. Some related bad affairs like raping young girls, seizing fake money in temples, black magic ritual that caused death to people, seizing amphetamines pills carried by monks, monks who visited a resort island and observed beauty contestants in their swimsuits, monk who has got 60 Mercedes Benz cars and so violates the religion anti-materialist precepts, abbots having intercourse with women, monks wearing laymen clothes and going to karaoke, an abbot wearing an army colonel uniform and entertaining women in a remote house, monks involved in murder.

The moral towards monks is also declining. In 2000 a Thai fashion designer made monk robes used as outfits for female models. Also an abbot was killed in order to steal the donation money given to the temple.

More and more people are asking for a global reform of the Sangha. Major complains are about the Sangha Council which is composed of 19 monks. Most of them have reached 80 years old. So a substitution is asked. Sangha Council takes too long time to take decisions, for example Dhammakaya movement, Phra Yantra. Some critics want to cut the links with the state's bureaucracy and Monarchy. In fact the Dhammayut movement is linked with the Monarchy and many monks are accused to look for honour or gratitude given by the King.

Phra Maha Boonthueng Chutinataro, deputy rector of Maha Chulalongkorn Rajavithayalai, said "it was time for the old monks to make way for the younger generation. These monks are too old and are still in the old world. I see no bright future for Buddhism if it continues to depend on these old monks. It's time for them to take a rest and leave the matter to the young-blooded, who are more determined and truly dedicated to our religion".

Phra Maha Boothueng said the entire system should be overhauled and made to comply with the country's democratic system and the new constitution. Sangha organisation is often compared to a big bureaucracy where promotion through monastic ranks depended on seniority and regulations laid down by the Sangha Council.