Can a fully ordained Buddhist monk be also a Communist Party member?

Venerable Thich Thanh Sam, deputy director of the Evangelical Association of the Buddhist Church of Vietnam has just passed away at age 89, including 50 years as a Communist party member.

Cố Hòa thượng Thích Thanh Sam, nguyên Phó pháp chủ kiêm Chánh thư ký HĐCM GHPGVN Source: Coutersy of Chùa Bằng

This is probably the first time the Vietnamese media have publicly declared a senior leader of the Vietnam Buddhist Church, a Communist Party member.

Is a fully ordained Buddhist monk and Communist member go parallel? Venerable Thich Quang Ba, Vice-President of the Van Hanh Monastery in Canberra and Vice-President of the Australian and New Zealand Buddhist Congregations Gave SBS an interview