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Time of India

Thai govt acts in kirpan row

Kolkata: The department of religious affairs of Thailand has issued a circular, stating that all establishments, such as hotels, schools, colleges and offices, will admit Sikhs and treat with respect their '5K symbols' of kesh (unshorn hair), kanga (comb), kara (steel bracelet), kirpan (dagger) and kachera (undershorts). Satnam Singh Ahluwalia, a member of the state minorities commission, was on April 12 denied check-in by a hotel in Bangkok as he was carrying a kirpan, one of the '5K symbols' of Sikhism . The staff at Shangri-La Bangkok had declined to accommodate Ahluwalia unless he deposited his kirpan with the security every time he entered and exited the hotel. Sri Guru Singh Sabha of Thailand took up the matter after Ahluwalia apprised them of the harassment at the hotel. According to an official at Thailand consulate, the circular was issued on May 22 in response to Sri Guru Singh Sabha of Thailand, which, in turn, took up the matter with the religious affairs department. The circular states: "The religious affairs department would like to inform that it has disseminated knowledge about the five religious symbols of Sikhism, which are religious identities that should be correctly and appropriately adorned, to various agencies relating to tourism and hotel businesses, such as the Royal Thai Police, the Immigration Bureau, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the Thai Hotels Association, and the Professional Tour Guide Association of Thailand, so that they understand and respect peaceful coexistence in a multicultural society and use it as a guideline for treating people of different religions. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 180k traders trust IC Markets for CFD trading | Sign up today IC Markets Learn More Undo " Ahluwalia said, "The Thailand govt has taken action to protect the dignity of Sikhs within one month. Kirpan is not a weapon but a religious symbol for us. Posters have been put up for sensitising Thai people about our five religious symbols. The circular brings cheers to the Sikh community all over the world."