Police swoop on temple fraud suspects in Nakhon Pathom and Nonthaburi provinces

By Thai PBS

 

 

Police from the Counter Corruption Division (CCD) on Thursday (Sept 21) swooped on 14 places in 7 provinces to meet former religious officials and people suspected to have involvement in swindling about 60 millions baht of state budget earnmarked for monastic activities of temples nationwide.

 

One of the 14 places is the residence of the former director the National Office of Buddhism Mr Phanom Sornsilpa in Samphran district of Nakhon Pathom.

 

The swoop by Central Investigation Bureau’s CCD police is aimed at finding more evidence to prosecute him in the fraud of temple funds.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/police-swoop-temple-fraud-suspects-nakhon-pathom-nonthaburi-provinces/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-09-21

Buddhism Office ex-chief found with hoard of gold bars

By The Nation

 

 

Phanom Sornsilp, former director of National Office of Buddhism, faces two corruption-related charges after 80-baht weight of gold bars and other valuables were found in his house.
 

Counter Corruption Division police raided Phanom’s house on Buddhamonthon 4 Road in Nakhon Pathom’s Samphran district on Thursday, one of 14 locations in seven provinces searched as part of an investigation into alleged embezzlement of Buddhism Office subsidies to temples.

 

CCD commander Pol Maj Gen Kamol Rienracha said gold bars weighing 80 baht in total were found at Phanom’s home along with receipts for shares he purchased in a cooperative.

 

Kamol said a list of Phanom’s assets would be compiled for the Anti-Money Laundering Office to consider freezing.

 

He said Phanom would be charged with malfeasance in violation of Article 157 of the Criminal Code and with abusing his authority in siphoning off state funds, in violation of Article 147.

 

Kamol said 23 temples lost portions of allocated subsidies in an embezzlement scheme involving 19 people.

 

The National Council for Peace and Order evoked Article 44 of the interim constitution to remove Phanom from his position in February, saying he had failed to take action against the controversial Dhammakaya Temple.

 

He was transferred to an inactive post in the Prime Minister’s Office.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30327298

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-09-21

 

I hate to say it, but whenever I visit a temple & see so much cash I often wonder just how straight they all are or how much goes into pockets.

Anyone surprised? 

 

Nah.

39 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

I hate to say it, but whenever I visit a temple & see so much cash I often wonder just how straight they all are or how much goes into pockets.

99.99% by the looks of things as usual.

"Kamol said a list of Phanom’s assets would be compiled for the Anti-Money Laundering Office to consider freezing."

 

FREEZE them, remove passport and fingerprint him for circulation to immigration and border controls pending the outcome of any trial.

Isn't Thai Buddhism at the upper level so fantastically Buddhist which unfortunately is usually tolerated by the lower levels together with all the devout followers. 

Brainwashing at work, both in the poorer areas and in temples frequented by the wealthy who one would assume would know better, but they don't ...

7 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Brainwashing at work, both in the poorer areas and in temples frequented by the wealthy who one would assume would know better, but they don't ...

Think the wealthy are usually the worst... 

Will he go to jail now?

Many speak Buddha but don't practice it !

a million hours Community service among the good people that donated to them would be my suggestion ! 

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Police swoop on temple fraud

Oh ! The irony of it. If there is any fraud going on anywhere the first place to look is the police. Obviously they are not getting their fair share of the loot.

The monks should have had more sense and not cut them out of the loop.

Guess he's about to become "en-lightened" ........of his heavy burden of gold bars, anyways !

1 hour ago, Cadbury said:

Oh ! The irony of it. If there is any fraud going on anywhere the first place to look is the police. Obviously they are not getting their fair share of the loot.

The monks should have had more sense and not cut them out of the loop.

How wonderfully original. Did you think that up all by yourself, or just copy and paste what we see on here from other original thinkers 10 times a day.

So this director who was a Monk for at least a few days, has decided that keeping

gold is better than cash.  Well  guess  he should have hid it somewhere else.

Too late now. Oops.

Geezer

8 hours ago, mancub said:

Guess he's about to become "en-lightened" ........of his heavy burden of gold bars, anyways !

Of which probably only half were actually reported..... 

Well with previous Abbot and Temple News this is not a surprise. It would seem that Thai Buddhism is ripping off locals who freely give sometimes what they can ill afford and that's the shame of it. The donations are given in good faith but get misused. Many of my Thai friends are true devout Buddhists and we often converse about meditation, way of life etc. but I have yet to hear from them how they feel about the 'business' side. I feel sorry for them.

"...80-baht weight of gold ba

My fuzzy math says that is about 40 ounces of gold; a little over two and a half pounds, perhaps one kilo. Not all that much. Probably used the gold for gold leaf on the statues. Maybe donated for Gold leaf touch ups.

18 hours ago, hotchilli said:

I hate to say it, but whenever I visit a temple & see so much cash I often wonder just how straight they all are or how much goes into pockets.

 

Try going to rural or forest temples and you won't find much cash there though you will find quite a few village people around helping out.

18 hours ago, hotchilli said:

I hate to say it, but whenever I visit a temple & see so much cash I often wonder just how straight they all are or how much goes into pockets.

not to add many criminals go to wats for a few months to repent their sins, a good way to cash up no work needed.

3 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

"...80-baht weight of gold ba

My fuzzy math says that is about 40 ounces of gold; a little over two and a half pounds, perhaps one kilo. Not all that much. Probably used the gold for gold leaf on the statues. Maybe donated for Gold leaf touch ups.

BP today, bar gold buying price is B20,250 per baht weight. 80 times gives B1,620,000.

17 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

How wonderfully original. Did you think that up all by yourself, or just copy and paste what we see on here from other original thinkers 10 times a day.

A pathetic attempt at sarcasm Baz. A backstall peanut thrower like your self can do better than that.

On 9/21/2017 at 10:05 PM, Cadbury said:

Oh ! The irony of it. If there is any fraud going on anywhere the first place to look is the police. Obviously they are not getting their fair share of the loot.

The monks should have had more sense and not cut them out of the loop.

If you look carefully at the photo, he seems to be whispering in a very low voice, "All the while I thought they had given you your share, goddam they are so stupid to want to keep all of it, honestly if I had known I would have immediately done the right thing".