There is another prominent Lao Buddhist temple outside of Paris at
Saint-Leu-la-Forêt where the Lao PDR ambassador of France sometimes goes to
make merit. At a 2010 political meeting in the United States organized by those
opposed to the Lao PDR government, and attended by Lao representatives from
France, it was announced that the executive committee of the temple had “taken
control of the temple,” through preventing the Lao ambassador and other Lao political
leaders from making merit at the temple. One dissident from Europe praised
the symbolic victory, stating, “There are no longer any Lao Buddhist temples in the
Paris area where members of the Red Lao [Lao deng] government can make merit.”
However, upon checking with the abbot of the temple, Achan Savat, it was found
that the claims of exclusion of the Lao ambassador have, in fact, been highly exaggerated.
Achan Savat said, “Why would we disallow the ambassador from making
merit at our temple? He is recognized by the government of France. We cannot
deny him entry to the temple.” Clearly, statements about excluding the ambassador
are themselves more symbolic than based on any actual exclusion.