BUDDHIST NUNS RALLY IN FRONT OF THE GOVENMENT HOUSE IN BANGKOK, 2001-04-10 (photo)

A nun holds both a Buddhist and a national Thai flag as she joins group of some 3,000 Buddhist nuns, monks and practitioners at a rally in front of the office of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Bangkok April 10, 2001. The rally was held to urge the government not to amend laws that will affect Buddhism as the national religion. Buddhist followers say the current draft laws, prepared at the oprational level, would downgrade traditional Buddhism from being the national religion and would give more emphasis on other religions. Over 90 percent of Thailand's 62 million population is Buddhist. NWA/PB