Last fugitive monk, Phra Phrommedhi, nabbed at German airport

By The Nation

 

 

Phra Phrommedhi, a former high-ranking monk who fled Thailand over money-laundering allegations, is being held in custody in Germany after failing to pass an airport immigration check.

 

PHRA Phrommedhi, a former high-ranking monk who fled Thailand over money-laundering allegations, is being held in custody in Germany after failing to pass an airport immigration check. 

 

German officials arrested the monk, who lost all of his monastic ranks late last month, in response to an arrest warrant issued by Thailand. 

 

Thai police had informed many foreign countries via Interpol that Phra Phrommedhi (now known only as Chamnong Dhammajari) was a wanted fugitive. 

 

He and several other high-ranking monks are accused of embezzling state funds for temples.

 

Five monks were arrested on May 24. Phra Prommedhi, then assistant abbot of Samphanthawongsaram Temple, and then-Sa Ket Temple’s abbot Phra Phromsitti, however, managed to elude arrests that day. 

 

Due to the serious charges against them, they lost their place on the Sangha Supreme Council (SSC), Thailand’s highest body for monastic affairs. 

 

Phra Phromsitti (now known only as Thongchai Sukkho) surrendered last week.

 

An informed source said Phra Phrommedhi left his Bangkok-based temple for the border province of Nakhon Phanom. 

 

“He then headed towards Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. From the Ho Chi Minh airport, he boarded a flight to Qatar. And from Qatar, he tried to go to Germany,” the source said. 

 

According to a police source, Chamnong Dhammajari (formerly Phra Phrommedhi) holds a state-official passport that is valid until 2020.

 

“It was issued back in 2015 because Phra Phrommedhi received an invitation to visit a branch of the Dhammakaya Temple in Germany,” the source said. It was reported that National Police Commissioner Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda, several senior policemen and public prosecutors had already boarded flights from Thailand to interrogate and accept the hand-over of Chamnong Dhammajari. 

 

Bangkok Remand Prison chief Krit Krasaetip said the former monks in the embezzlement scandals had already adjusted themselves to a life behind bars. 

 

“They are already acting like other inmates, except that they do not have dinner,” he said. Buddhist monks do not eat after midday. 

 

Regarding the former Phra Buddha Isara (now known only as Suwit Thongprasert), Krit said he was undergoing physical therapy to treat back pain from herniated disc. “We also have provided him with a wheelchair and walking-support,” Krit said. 

 

Suwit faces charges of using without permission royal initials to make amulets, and of mobilising |demonstrators to assault and snatch away guns from two special branch police officers during an anti-government rally in 2014. At that time, he was a co-leader of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee that rallied against the Yingluck Shinawatra-led administration. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30346882

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-04

Now it´s only going to take another 5-12 years for reaching a conclusion in this case.

53 minutes ago, webfact said:

“They are already acting like other inmates, except that they do not have dinner,” he said. Buddhist monks do not eat after midday. 

Hey guess what......they are  just the same as other people!!

Well done German immigration, you did what Thai immigration should have done, but failed.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

German officials arrested the monk

Only because there's no room for any lottery oracles, and no one believes in merkels anymore.

 

2 hours ago, Get Real said:

Now it´s only going to take another 5-12 years for reaching a conclusion in this case.

I think you are being overly optimistic. 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

National Police Commissioner Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda, several senior policemen and public prosecutors had already boarded flights from Thailand

Another junket funded by Thai tax-payers.  How many cops does it take to sit next to a handcuffed felon?

55 minutes ago, Darcula said:

Only because there's no room for any lottery oracles, and no one believes in merkels anymore.

 

Isn't that some sort of wig?

 

" Thai police had informed many foreign countries via Interpol that Phra Phrommedhi (now known only as Chamnong Dhammajari) was a wanted fugitive."

 

wow that was fast. amazing what Thai police can do when they want to.

So a money-laundering monk gets "nabbed" at a foreign airport but "others" that still owe 35 billion baht travel freely ..... mmm....

Holy sh@!t:

http://www.dw.com/en/blackout-cripples-hamburg-airport/a-44060381

What ever happened to the "boss" from Red Bull that killed the policeman?  All's gone quiet!

4 hours ago, webfact said:

they do not have dinner,” he said. Buddhist monks do not eat after midday. 

except on first class flights.

I hope Germany will sent him back to Thailand asap. He only cost money to german tax payers!!!!!!!!!!!!

No country need this kind of people!

Interesting who they are willing to extradite and who they are not. 

50 minutes ago, Ralf61 said:

Holy sh@!t:

http://www.dw.com/en/blackout-cripples-hamburg-airport/a-44060381

It must be divine intervention, karma at work (including work permit)

 

4 hours ago, Get Real said:

Now it´s only going to take another 5-12 years for reaching a conclusion in this case.

I'm thinking maximum of one month until all of them are admitting a certain crime and then them getting the best case reduced sentence. 

His escape plan was seriously flawed. Practically everyone taking "refuge" or claiming "asylum" in Germany these days has "lost" all their ID documents and insists to have arrived from a country where a terrible war has forced them to flee or where they are politically/racially/religiously persecuted. It also helps to wear a burka or some other sack-like clothing instead of a saffron robe. 

 

That way you get into Germany almost without any immigration checks and - even better - can claim substantial social benefits right from the start and be allocated a nice rent-free single house or fully furnished apartment within weeks as the "highly skilled worker" that you allegedly are.

 

Millions have succeeded with that scam, so you should have done your home work, Chamnong! Oh, and of course investing in a wig and pasting on some eye brows would've been warranted as well. And no, presenting a state-official passport from Thailand was not a good idea.

1 hour ago, manhood said:

I hope Germany will sent him back to Thailand asap. He only cost money to german tax payers!!!!!!!!!!!!

No country need this kind of people!

I am not sure but I think the requesting country gets the bill

Redbull murderer still on the go.

4 hours ago, colinneil said:

Well done German immigration, you did what Thai immigration should have done, but failed.

See how easy it is Col to get criminals. I just wonder why they have so many problems arresting that Red Bull heir? Have you any ideas why they cant arrest him? I have a few but don't want to lose face on here

10 minutes ago, Happyman58 said:

See how easy it is Col to get criminals. I just wonder why they have so many problems arresting that Red Bull heir? Have you any ideas why they cant arrest him? I have a few but don't want to lose face on here

probably not travelling on a Thai passport

That photo don't look right.

His missing the Raybans, Louis Vuitton bag, and I phone. 

his letting the team down,  dressing like that. 

 

Edited June 4, 20188 yr by stanleycoin

1 minute ago, AGareth2 said:

probably not travelling on a Thai passport

Probably right  You have money u can buy any passport

2 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Isn't that some sort of wig?

 

Indeed it is. They are available in saffron. He and his cohorts can wear one on their heads after being defrocked. Quite appropriate.

Just now, Mr E said:

Indeed it is. They are available in saffron. He and his cohorts can wear one on their heads after being defrocked. Quite appropriate.

OMG lol lol lol lol lol lol

Good work by the German Immi.

6 minutes ago, Mr E said:

Indeed it is. They are available in saffron. He and his cohorts can wear one on their heads after being defrocked. Quite appropriate.

Wearing it on the head would probably negate the need for a Brazilian.

 

(apparently a Brazilian is a trillion trillion)

 

Catching a former monk accused of embezzlement appears to be straightforward; billionaire, drug taking cop-killers - not so easy.

2 hours ago, wayned said:

What ever happened to the "boss" from Red Bull that killed the policeman?  All's gone quiet!

"Thai police had informed many foreign countries via Interpol that Phra Phrommedhi (now known only as Chamnong Dhammajari) was a wanted fugitive". 

 

Very often it's out of place to always talk about Boss in stories that have nothing to do with his affair!

But in this case, you're right, 100 %, for him who kills a policeman no one in the police moves his a** "to inform many foreign countries via Interpol that he was a wanted fugitive" ... disgusting!