Thailand's DSI accepts special case involving controversial Buddhist monk

[webfact]

DSI accepts special case involving controversial Buddhist monk
By Digital Media



BANGKOK, July 9 - Thailand's Department of Special Investigation (DSI) will investigate the case of embattled Buddhist monk Phra Wirapol Sukphol, better known as Luang Pu Nenkham Chattigo, involving several acts deemed in violation of criminal law including allegedly having sex with an underage girl.

The DSI decision followed the outrage expressed by the Thai public after video clips of Phra Wirapol, abbot of the Khantitham forest monastery in the northeastern province of Si Sa
Ket, featuring his luxurious life with brand name bags and expensive gadgets on board a private jet, went viral.

Apart from his lavish lifestyle, other controversial behaviour was also revealed, ranging from allegedly having sexual affairs with many young women, owning luxury cars, motorcycles, and big houses--all of which break Buddhist teachings, to his suspected involvement with illicit drugs and money laundering.

Speaking at a press briefing after chairing a special meeting with key agencies including the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), DSI chief Tharit Pengdit said his agency will probe the monk's alleged violations of the law, including advertising false information online, having sex with a minor, suspected tax evasion with nine super cars, using illicit drugs, using falsified education certificate, reckless driving causing another's death, exploiting donations which could be linked to money laundering and deceiving the public.

He said the DSI found that Phra Wirapol allegedly committed the above offences.

Mr Tharit said his agency will submit a letter to the National Office of Buddhism asking the agency to defrock the monk and revoke his passport so that Phra Wirapol will be deported to face prosecution in Thailand.

As one woman claimed that she was the monk's wife and has one child with him, the DSI chief said the Central Institute of Forensic Sciences and the DSI will ask the monk's parents for a DNA test with an 11-year-old boy believed to be his son. The result will be known when the tests are complete tomorrow.

Mr Tharit said that AMLO will be asked to freeze the monk's assets.

Police earlier said they found a dozen bank accounts of Phra Wirapol with an estimated daily circulation of about 200 million baht.

National Office of Buddhism director Nopparat Benjawattananant explained that the law governing Buddhist monks authorises police investigators to defrock any monk arrested with criminal offence in absentia.

Last month the embattled monk reportedly was on a religious mission in France but his current location is now undisclosed as he has refused to return to Thailand since the news broke out. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-07-09

[MaxLee]

A case for the DSI again, and wonders will happen, as FACES will be saved to please the global public....

[chainarong]

The monk seems to be a person of special interest on all fronts, one wounders if the DSI will take as long to come to a conclusion , as he did with the Democrat leadership , when placing a charge of murder on their heads.

[krismagi]

I always wanted to be a monk .....

...... now I know why!

[GeorgeO]

It seems that the DSI have read both of my previous posts on this fraudster.

Hope he gets his just desserts...!

[Soutpeel]

The monk seems to be a person of special interest on all fronts, one wounders if the DSI will take as long to come to a conclusion , as he did with the Democrat leadership , when placing a charge of murder on their heads.

Think you will find said gentleman will be a card carrying member of the democratic party hence the DSI are after him....looking at some of these the charges, one suspects most of BKK's elite and politians could be charged with similar offenses

including advertising false information online

suspected tax evasion with nine super cars,

using illicit drugs,

using falsified education certificate,

reckless driving causing another's death,

exploiting donations which could be linked to money laundering and deceiving the public

Poliitians with pink Bentley's, Goverment being controlled by a convict on the run, monks with 9 super cars, mouldy rice mountains...etc etc...

Just another day in the La La land that is Thailand me thinks

[Soutpeel]

It seems that the DSI have read both of my previous posts on this fraudster.

Hope he gets his just desserts...!

Black Forrest Gateau or spotted dick ?

[Thai at Heart]

The DSI decision followed the outrage expressed by the Thai public

Note, until a lot of people complained very loudly and the media jumped on it, he apparently wasn't doing anything wrong. How very very Thai.

Edited July 9, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[Bagwan]

He said the DSI found that Phra Wirapol allegedly committed the above offences.

????? Can somebody please explain this to me? ?????

[klauskunkel]

I wonder what it takes to establish a temple and become an abbot in Thailand. I mean is there a governing body within the buddhist community that establishes and oversees standards? Or, can you just build a temple and declare yourself as head monk? If the former applies, then that governing authority may also warrant a closer look...

[newermonkey]

OMG this monk might get defrocked "shock & horror", now its quite serious. a defrocking will make him loose face, I cant believe they would do this to a monk! They cant do this to a monk!!

[kimamey]

He said the DSI found that Phra Wirapol allegedly committed the above offences.

????? Can somebody please explain this to me? ?????

I think it means they feel there's sufficient evidence to take a closer look.

[camerata]

I wonder what it takes to establish a temple and become an abbot in Thailand. I mean is there a governing body within the buddhist community that establishes and oversees standards? Or, can you just build a temple and declare yourself as head monk? If the former applies, then that governing authority may also warrant a closer look...

The governing body is the Supreme Sangha Council, headed by the Supreme Patriarch. From what monks have told me, once you've been in robes a full 5 years you are considered mature enough to do something like set up a temple, if you have the funding and local support. To be an abbot, you need to have passed the first level Nak Tham (Pali) exam, and I'm pretty sure you would need approval from higher up.

But this particular monk seems to have set up an unregistered monastic centre and called it a "wat." Whether that is against the law or nor I've no idea. According to news reports, monks need permission to stay outside the wat they are registered with, but this guy went AWOL from his wat in 2006.

[SOTIRIOS]

..duhh....how about the millions of dollars that...'fell into his lap'........not even curious........???

...this is absurd....blocked from searching his temple or his parent's home...what happened to search warrants.....what a joke.......

[giggles]

and i want to see him walk on water as he claims he can do as he has supernatural powers

[culicine]

It seems that the DSI have read both of my previous posts on this fraudster.

Hope he gets his just desserts...!

Black Forrest Gateau or spotted dick ?

I think the former....don't see him getting shafted

[moe666]

His stealing, living in luxury, laundering money was going no where until sex came into play then the boggy man jumped out.

[Soi Dog]

I think he should be arrested for impersonating a politician.

[webfact]

UPDATE:
LUANG PU NENKHAM
DSI wants monk's status revoked
Piyanut Tumnukasetchai
The Nation



Tarit to file petition with supreme council, seeks to cancel passport

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation is pushing for the termination of Luang Pu Nenkham's status as a monk and the cancellation of his passport.

"We will officially ask the Supreme Sangha Council and the National Office of Buddhism to do this," DSI chief Tarit Pengdith said yesterday.

He was speaking after his agency decided to take over the case against Luang Pu Nenkham, abbot of Wat Pa Khanti Dhamma in Si Sa Ket.

The controversial monk has remained in France since the scandal involving him emerged last month.

Tarit said the cancellation of Luang Pu Nenkham's passport would mean the French authorities would have to deport him.

He will also write to Supreme Sangha Council secretary Nopparat Benjawatananun, who is also head of the National Office of Buddhism, requesting the termination of Luang Pu Nenkham's status as a monk.

Nopparat said the process to terminating his monastic status could be completed within two days.

"The National Office of Buddhism will also be asked to contact the Foreign Ministry to arrange the revocation of his passport," Tarit added.

The DSI chief said Luang Pu Nenkham would face legal action for eight alleged offences, including the spread of false information in a way that caused damage to the public and having a sexual relationship with a minor.

"He has clearly violated Article 14 of the Computer Crime Act by claiming to have met Indra, and that the god had instructed him to build a big Emerald Buddha," Tarit said, referring to the online assertion by the monk that has attracted donations for the casting of the statue.

On the monk's alleged sexual relationship with a girl, he said the DSI and other officials would today conduct DNA tests on an 11-year-old boy whose mother claims Luang Pu Nenkham is his father, as well as the controversial monk's parents.

"We should have the DNA test results within 24 hours."

He said that DSI would also investigate Luang Pu Nenkham's alleged involvement in drug trafficking, money laundering and the ownership of vehicles linked to tax-evasion scams.

Tarit said his department would ask the Anti-Money Laundering Office to freeze the monk's assets, including his bank accounts.

Meanwhile, the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) received evidence yesterday that Luang Pu Nenkham had often travelled to the town of Mae Sot, on the border with Myanmar. "We will investigate to see if he is also involved in drug trafficking," ONCB chief Pol General Pongsapat Pongcharoen said.

In related news, Ubon Ratchathani's Wat Tai Phrachao Yai Ong Teu abbot Phra Raja Thammakosol said the temple would give Luang Pu Nenkham until Friday to give himself in or else it will cut him off from its supervision. The Centre for Monks and Novices' Travel Aboard Control also said they would check the monk's itinerary and if the monk does not return as scheduled or does something to tarnish the Thai Supreme Sangha Council, the centre would block him from ever leaving the country again.

-- The Nation 2013-07-10

[Thaddeus]

"The National Office of Buddhism will also be asked to contact the Foreign Ministry to arrange the revocation of his passport," Tarit added.

Can you cancel someone's passport just because they have become unusually wealthy in suspicious circumstances.

[Robby nz]

Tarit to file petition with supreme council, seeks to cancel passport

Would be nice Khun Tarit if at the same time you did the same to someone else who has absconded.