Gang Con Temple Abbot Out Of Cash

[webfact]

Gang con temple abbot out of cash

By Ekkapong Praditpong

The Nation on Sunday

Published on January 17, 2010

A gang led by a state employee has abused the government's economic stimulus scheme to make easy money from victims, including a temple, by claiming Government House connections and forging documents - with a little help from a corrupt official - to make them look convincing.

A Chiang Mai abbot was duped of Bt500,000 worth of gold ornaments and cash when the gang leader claimed he belonged to the prime minister's advisory team and could allocate some Bt80 million from the Thai Khemkhaeng budget to the temple.

Khom Chad Leuk, The Nation's sister newspaper, received a complaint from the committee of the temple in Saraphi district asking it to investigate the group headed by a man identified as Passakorn Buajit.

A month ago, Passakorn showed up with a name card saying he worked for the government. He told the abbot the temple was among those chosen for the government fund for development, a temple committee member said.

Passakorn, found to be a Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) employee, visited the temple several more times with three or four accomplices and started asking for money to buy Bangkok-Chiang Mai air tickets for his team and contact for the budget allocation.

Passakorn then asked for a gold necklace with a Buddha amulet to present to a senior government official, the member said. Since he was able to show many documents to back his claims, the abbot gave him what he asked for, totalling Bt500,000.

While the temple committee became suspicious and asked the media to help, the abbot reportedly continued to believe Passakorn could deliver the budget and feared that, if the temple were conned, the legal proceedings might tarnish its image.

A temple source also reported that Passakorn had threatened the abbot by phone "not to complicate a simple matter".

The newspaper's inquiry to the PM's Secretariat found that the phone number given by Passakorn led to the secretary of PM's adviser Bundit Siriphan.

Bundit said Passakorn did not work for him and that he had a month ago learned from the Phetchabun governor that Passakorn also used Bundit's position and the Thai Khemkhaeng scheme to swindle several construction firms in the province with promises of Thai Khemkhaeng funds.

A probe found that Passakorn had bribed a woman working at Government House with Bt200,000 to make him a Government House pass and send the BMTA a letter asking to have Passakorn assigned to Bundit's working team, Bundit said.

She also sent a letter, with Bundit's forged signature, to the PM's deputy secretary, until Passakorn received an ID, Bundit said. Following the probe result, the PM's Secretariat notified the BMTA of what had happened and fired the official for a serious disciplinary violation, while Passakorn also met Bundit to apologise, Bundit added.

Bundit said he wanted the matter to end, so he did not file criminal charges. However, since Passakorn continued to con people, he would take legal action because he had proof. He offered to be a witness for the temple if it wished to file a police complaint.

The Sangha Supreme Council's Buddhism Protection Division director Wichai Thamcharoen said the council had already sent a warning to provincial chief priests about con men.

-- The Nation 2010-01-17

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[Scott]

Apparently nothing is sacred any more.

[Artisi]

When it come to easy cash in Thailand, no.

[koosdeboer]

When it comes to money, the monks will be in for it. So pay a bribe to get more money. Then go to the shopping mall to buy chocolate, a mobile phone or to a computer plaza to buy a computer or video games. I saw a monk in a hotel enjoying his breakfast (I tried to make a photo but he hided very fast) and monks in an airplane sharing a lot of money to spend in Singapore. My wife is Buddhist and does not like what she sees in Chiangmai. It's time for the monks to spend some of their money on poor people.

[geriatrickid]

I thought monks pledged themselves to a life absent of material comfort and one of "poverty", hence the daily alms walk.

What did I miss? Was the rule book changed? Are monks now allowed to hold large quantities of cash for investment purposes?

[Samuian]

A reflection of what is happening in society, like the government employee ready to jump in even forging the signature of someone, shows deep, deep disrespect of law, order, ethic and morale, all for the sake of a quick buck!

An if, as it has been posted here some monks are left free wheeling.... the results will be like this, it's like a bad virus, a cancer!

[Ricardo]

I guess there's one re-born, every minute.

[jontom]

I thought monks pledged themselves to a life absent of material comfort and one of "poverty", hence the daily alms walk.

What did I miss? Was the rule book changed? Are monks now allowed to hold large quantities of cash for investment purposes?

I know a lot of practising Thai Budhist who have no problem with lying and cheating perhaps the Thai version of Budhism doesnt come down too hard on these vices.

[tig28]

I guess there's one re-born, every minute.

very good!!

[Artisi]

The "Buddhism" practiced by many Thai people is unfortunately a long long way from the true path.

Edited January 17, 2010 by Artisi

[user82374298374]

The "Buddhism" practiced by many Thai people is unfortunately a long long way from the true path.

I think this is true of most religions; however, what I've observed throughout Asia is that the masses seem to receive what's essentially a 'cartoon' version of Buddhist religious education, leaving the impression that, as long as you don't get caught and lose face, you may lie, cheat, steal, murder, whatever, as long as you donate enough money to a monastery or free enough birds or whatever to make offsetting merit, heh.

[Foggy Bottom]

I misread the title in the email .... I thought "Gang Con Temple" was the name of the temple

Think I need a holiday back in the land of reality - been here too long without a break

[Dap]

Apparently nothing is sacred any more.

Nor, ever has been

[fiercesnake]

I thought monks pledged themselves to a life absent of material comfort and one of "poverty", hence the daily alms walk.

What did I miss? Was the rule book changed? Are monks now allowed to hold large quantities of cash for investment purposes?

Nothing, they never changed anything in the rule book. Unfortunately even some monks have allowed themselves to remove themselves from what they know they should be doing. As posted previously senior monks have aired their concerns about how materialism is slowly corrupting traditional values here, especially with the better educated Thais of Bangkok and even within their own ranks. No man is completely immune from this trend even monks.

However in this case this poor Abbott just didn't want to lose face and this other mongrel was a clued up criminal. These are the most dangerous sorts of non-violent psychopaths as they are intelligent but lack conscionable morality and have no concern for anybody else except their own selfish desires. I really hope Karma is for real as this guy just dragged himself down to a cockroach to live in sewers and hopefully be stepped on. See you in the next life scum!

[basjke]

I thought monks pledged themselves to a life absent of material comfort and one of "poverty", hence the daily alms walk.

What did I miss? Was the rule book changed? Are monks now allowed to hold large quantities of cash for investment purposes?

LOL.What was the name again of that abbot somewhere in the Bangkok district who had to pay many millions in land registration taxes for the land he owned in own name and refused to pay.I remember at some time there was a complete police force ready to raid him,something like in wacko town USA,but don't know the outcome of it.

[HAL9000]

I misread the title in the email .... I thought "Gang Con Temple" was the name of the temple

Yeah, me too. It's that British English. In American it would be Gang Cons Temple....

[Bagwan]

I have often wondered why I see so many monks in Tuk Com buying expensive desirables. I am currently wrestling with the image of a monk buying Government Lottery tickets. How long before we hear of the Pope being seen in Soi Cowboy?

[thaiedward]

When it comes to money, the monks will be in for it. So pay a bribe to get more money. Then go to the shopping mall to buy chocolate, a mobile phone or to a computer plaza to buy a computer or video games. I saw a monk in a hotel enjoying his breakfast (I tried to make a photo but he hided very fast) and monks in an airplane sharing a lot of money to spend in Singapore. My wife is Buddhist and does not like what she sees in Chiangmai. It's time for the monks to spend some of their money on poor people.

Naughty Priests are ev'rywhere...so what's a bloke to do? Are self-respect and sympathy enough to 'see us through'?

[Bagwan]

The "Buddhism" practiced by many Thai people is unfortunately a long long way from the true path.

I think this is true of most religions; however, what I've observed throughout Asia is that the masses seem to receive what's essentially a 'cartoon' version of Buddhist religious education, leaving the impression that, as long as you don't get caught and lose face, you may lie, cheat, steal, murder, whatever, as long as you donate enough money to a monastery or free enough birds or whatever to make offsetting merit, heh.

Join the Catholic religion and save money. Sin away and every so often nip in to chat with a man wearing a long black frock and tell him that you are sorry. Recite a few Hail Marys and off you go - no money changes hands, unless you get roped in to a game of Tombola. (If this offends anybody I suggest that you avoid any contact with Eddie Izzard.)

While religion has been the source of some benefits to mankind it has a lot to answer for. My take is that you have to back one of two horses, science or stories handed down over the centuries which probably bear no relation their original content. I go for science, and when I kick off and if I find myself at set of Pearly Gates, a man with a long white beard asks me why, I shall tell him that his Boss was at fault by equipping me with a brain and mind incapable of grasping such concepts as walking on water, virgin birth or resurrection. I find it difficult enough contemplating our Universe being hundreds of thousands of light years across - and that there might be another 6 or so other Universes.

[TAWP]

Bagwan>> Since Hubble caught light that is from 13 billion light-years away, the universe is now know to be bigger than even that. It would take 10 million years to travel using Warp 9.6 (Star Trek) to some of the new galaxies they recently discovered.

[Bagwan]

Bagwan>> Since Hubble caught light that is from 13 billion light-years away, the universe is now know to be bigger than even that. It would take 10 million years to travel using Warp 9.6 (Star Trek) to some of the new galaxies they recently discovered.

Thanks for the info. Years ago when I first took a passing interest in the formation of the Universe the boffins were talking about 25,000 light years across. Since then the number has grown and grown just like Topsy. My reading of a few minutes ago confirms the 13 billion light years figure you quote. I find it difficult to visualise such a distance. 1 light year = 5.87849981 miles multiplied by 10 to the power of 12. Then multiply that by 13 billion. In the face of that, I now understand the difficulty that some members of my Thai family have in getting their heads around Thaksin grubbing about for 73 billion baht which is only a part of his exchequer. Numbers beyond our imagination.

There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy - The Bard (Hamlet)