The destruction of the environment was not a significant issue in Thailand until the rapid industrialization of the country became a national priority after W or ld War II (Sponsel and Natadecha 1988:305).
Even then, it was not until the 1980s that nature conservation became a widespread concern, despite the earlier efforts of such environmental NGOs as Wildlife Fund Thailand and the Project for Ecological Recovery.
The adoption of the issue by the ecology monks beginning in the late 1980s has raised the movement to a new level.
It can no longer be seen simply as an economic or political debate between environmentalists and developers, but has now been placed on a moral plane.
The monks are concerned with the suffering of both humans and wildlife which results from the destruction of the forests and watersheds.
As it is a moral issue, the monks are interpreting the scriptures to support their actions and are adapting traditional rituals and symbols to involve lay villagers in the movement.