Senior officials guilty of theft of temple funds: NACC

By PIYANUCH THAMNUKASETCHAI 
THE NATION 

 

 

EX-DEPUTY DIRECTOR TOLD RELIGIOUS CENTRE TO RETURN BT8 MILLION IN FUNDING

 

THE NATIONAL Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has found three current or former government officials guilty of embezzling state subsidies for temples. 

 

 

The guilty are the National Buddhism Office (NOB)’s former directors Phanom Sornsilp and Nopparat Benjawatananan, and former deputy director Pranom Kongpikul. 

 

“The NACC has resolved that Phanom, Nopparat and Pranom violated Articles 147, 151 and 157 of the Criminal Code,” NACC deputy secretary-general Warawit Sukboon said yesterday. 

 

He said they also committed grave disciplinary offences, as they were involved in corruption. 

 

 

Warawit said Nopparat’s close aide Chompunut Chanluechai – who is not a state official – was also found to have been an accomplice and was guilty of supporting government officials’ wrongdoing. 

 

Warawit said that in 2014, Pranom – who at that time served as the head of the National Buddhism Office’s Buddhist Monastery Division – contacted Phanan Choeng Temple saying that her office would provide Bt10 million in state subsidies to the temple on the condition that it agreed to return Bt8 million.

 

“Pranom told the temple the office needed that part of money back to cover expenses for activities that could not be reimbursed,” Warawit said. 

 

He said that after the temple made the promise, Nopparat approved the Bt10-million budget. 

 

“Unlike normal cases, the budget given to Phanan Choeng Temple does not have a request for budget from the temple,” he pointed out.

The investigation by the NACC shows that the temple transferred Bt8 million to the bank account of Chompunut. 

 

Warawit said Pranom also contacted Phanan Choeng Temple again in 2015 with a similar suggestion but this time asking the temple to hand over Bt5 million cash to her.

 

“The NACC has offered the accused opportunities to explain themselves but we have found solid evidence that they worked as a network to perpetuate the offence,” he said. 

 

In February, the National Council for Peace and Order removed Phanom from the helm of the National Buddhism Office via Article 44 of the interim constitution.

 

In September, officials raided Phanom’s home and discovered gold bars weighing about 1.2 kilograms. A source said Phanom’s assets must have been worth more than Bt100 million.

 

Nopparat left Thailand for the United States before authorities started seriously investigating. Nopparat and Phanom have denied wrongdoing. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30334328

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-12-20

Why should the government subsidize temples at all? I wouldn't be happy if I were a Thai Muslim, or an atheist.

It's probably a case of Robin Hood Syndrome, that's when money flows from the super rich to the poor.

So what is going to happen does not seem clear,but

one's already buggered off,are the others under arrest ?,

and will the one in USA be extradited ,a la Red Bull ! 

Anything here involving financials is going to have the 

element of corruption in one way or another.

regards worgeordie

Another sacrificial lamb candidates for inactive posts,...... next please...

3 hours ago, Lupatria said:

It's probably a case of Robin Hood Syndrome, that's when money flows from the super rich to the poor.

May I suggest a small amendment - "when money flows from the super rich to the poor rich."

And of course, what goes entirely unsaid in this article is that the NACC doesn't have any actual ability to file criminal charges/criminally prosecute anyone for corruption.

 

They only have the ability to ASK the attorney general or other prosecutors to bring such a case.  Which, if they ever do, ends up going to one of the corruption courts.

 

So it's a bit odd that the NACC always refers to finding people "guilty" when in fact, they haven't yet been charged with any crime or found guilty of anything in a court of law.

 

Edited December 20, 20178 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK