Donation campaign

By The Nation on Sunday

A total of 1,040 gold bars weighing 13,000 kilograms and costing US$10,214,600 (Bt306,965,073) have been donated under the late highly revered monk Luangta Maha Bua's long donation campaign for the national reserves.

The campaign was officially announced closed yesterday after it was opened after the economic crisis 12 years ago, when Thailand's international reserves were depleted.

Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn yesterday presided over the occasion of giving the last 73 gold bars weighing 920.5 kg to the central bank.

Up to 967 gold bars were previously given to the bank over 15 occasions.

The gold bars and US dollar banknotes are worth Bt19,495,378,353.

"His followers will keep an eye on authorities if any of them will use the gold and cash in a way that is not in line with Luangta's intention. We will immediately meet the person or the agency to hear the reasons," said Phra Khru Attakijanantakhun, the late monk's disciple.

-- The Nation 2011-05-08

So if the Thai reserves were depleted - was there ever a reason given? How much ended up in politicians pockets and were they ever held to account and incarcerated? If not why not? Or is this just simply charity covering thieves?

HRH Princess Chulabhorn Presides over Gold Hand-Over Ceremony

Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn presided over a ceremony to hand over gold belonging to the late revered abbot to the Bank of Thailand.

Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn presided over the 16th ceremony to hand over gold to the Bank of Thailand, under the Luangta Maha Bua Yannasampanno foundation.

The foundation donated 73 bars of gold weighing 920.5 kilograms, to the national reserve.

Revered abbot Luangta Maha Bua started the foundation in 1997, when the respected monk asked all Thais to help the country during the Asian financial crisis by donating cash and gold to the national reserve.

The Bank of Thailand, or BOT, Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul said the Luangta Maha Bua foundation has given 13,000 kilograms of gold to the national reserve so far.

Meanwhile, the BOT Governor presented 1 million baht to help construct the Luangta Maha Bua Hospital building at the Udon Thani Hospital in honor of Luangta Maha Bua, as well as offering alms to monks at the ceremony.

-- Tan Network 2011-05-09