Maybe unrelated but I watched something very unusual the other day. A group of non local men waiting an unusually long time in a local noodle stall in a town not so far from the temple. Smiles all round when another man appeared and handed over a large suitcase which the noodle seller later claimed was full of cash. I also notice large roadside banners for the temple have been slashed.

Don't know whether he was money laundering or not but he appears to have made a clean getaway.

The Ten Million Dollar Man. Is it a new TV (television or Thai Visa) series?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Six_Million_Dollar_Man

Was he quoted on the SET as Monks are US PLC?

Cant wait for the Annual Report.

Allow him to withdraw 300 million and then freeze his accounts. Well done.

Maybe it's easier to freeze empty accounts.

This guy is to slippery for the Thai authorities, if they want to save face, they should let this episode die down and disappear!!...

Or call it a misunderstanding because he is taking Thainess to the world.

Besides getting an arrest warrant for rape and other charges, the DSI wants to freeze Wirapol's bank accounts and seize 70 cars. It will also call on immigration authorities in the US and Europe and have his visas revoked.

This is clearly a joke, right? Now there is obviously no point, this should have been done at the earliest opportunity, like a month ago. Also, it takes no time to revoke a passport like we know it from the Snowden case.

With the kind of money that is available to him, he could have easily arranged for a second passport, even a legal one.

.

Did he read the book by Bernie Madoff?

He's a bit off the 65 billion USD mark. He may have missed a page or two.

Besides getting an arrest warrant for rape and other charges, the DSI wants to freeze Wirapol's bank accounts and seize 70 cars. It will also call on immigration authorities in the US and Europe and have his visas revoked.

This is clearly a joke, right? Now there is obviously no point, this should have been done at the earliest opportunity, like a month ago. Also, it takes no time to revoke a passport like we know it from the Snowden case.

With the kind of money that is available to him, he could have easily arranged for a second passport, even a legal one.

.

I don't suppose there's any chance in hell that the Thai officials who covered up for him all this time will get their collective butts spanked.

OH yeah, he flew under the radar.

I forgot.

ohh great no one told me he's emptied his bank accounts the bastard owes me money

Why the hell didn't the idiotic powers that be suspend his bank accounts quickly so he couldn't use his stolen millions ? Once again the kingdom falls flat on its face. Well done PTP for screwing it all up again !

It's easy to outsmart inept authorities, q.e.d. If there was a ranking by country, Thailand would be another hub.

Allow him to withdraw 300 million and then freeze his accounts. Well done.

I suppose he needs pocket money for his US stay and more importantly the money may not all actually be his.

He will lose potential friends very quickly if he loses their money. We know the DSI is suspect and incompetent but there could be method in this particular madness.

Lose potential friends, lose money.......lose face ?

Tell me if I am wrong, but I do not think anyone can walk into a bank and withdraw 300 million baht over the counter ( or in a seperate room for security reasons ). The bank will have to have been notified in advance to amass such a large sum. The banks will have been fully aware of the recent interest and speculation ( innocent until proven guilty ) in this customer so should have informed the relevant authorities of such a large impending withdrawal. The same goes for large sums of baht or foreign currency. And, what about the linmit of baht allowed to leave the country at any one time ? A lot of questions need to be asked of the ' customer ', the banks and the Thai authorities.

Thai government officials.....always good for a daily chuckle.

Anyone would think some people in authority actually wanted him to get away with the loot.

Tell me if I am wrong, but I do not think anyone can walk into a bank and withdraw 300 million baht over the counter ( or in a seperate room for security reasons ). The bank will have to have been notified in advance to amass such a large sum. The banks will have been fully aware of the recent interest and speculation ( innocent until proven guilty ) in this customer so should have informed the relevant authorities of such a large impending withdrawal. The same goes for large sums of baht or foreign currency. And, what about the linmit of baht allowed to leave the country at any one time ? A lot of questions need to be asked of the ' customer ', the banks and the Thai authorities.

Lots of questions but will they ever be asked ?

Hands up those who disagree with the answer " NO ".

Tell me if I am wrong, but I do not think anyone can walk into a bank and withdraw 300 million baht over the counter ( or in a seperate room for security reasons ). The bank will have to have been notified in advance to amass such a large sum. The banks will have been fully aware of the recent interest and speculation ( innocent until proven guilty ) in this customer so should have informed the relevant authorities of such a large impending withdrawal. The same goes for large sums of baht or foreign currency. And, what about the linmit of baht allowed to leave the country at any one time ? A lot of questions need to be asked of the ' customer ', the banks and the Thai authorities.

Lots of questions but will they ever be asked ?

Hands up those who disagree with the answer " NO ".

Tell me if I am wrong, but I do not think anyone can walk into a bank and withdraw 300 million baht over the counter ( or in a seperate room for security reasons ). The bank will have to have been notified in advance to amass such a large sum. The banks will have been fully aware of the recent interest and speculation ( innocent until proven guilty ) in this customer so should have informed the relevant authorities of such a large impending withdrawal. The same goes for large sums of baht or foreign currency. And, what about the linmit of baht allowed to leave the country at any one time ? A lot of questions need to be asked of the ' customer ', the banks and the Thai authorities.

Lots of questions but will they ever be asked ?

Hands up those who disagree with the answer " NO ".

The police probably took the money and then just put the blame on him.

What bothers me most about this is the math! The headline should read Ex-Monk withdrew Bt297m. Mai?

transparency......is the only way to stop corruption....and shame on that monk i hope he gets his...im sure the funds just went to another corrupt official who gave him the heads up

Why the hell didn't the idiotic powers that be suspend his bank accounts quickly so he couldn't use his stolen millions ? Once again the kingdom falls flat on its face. Well done PTP for screwing it all up again !

Got to wonder, would it be worse if this turns out to be a screw up rather than someone being given a percentage for allowing the money transfers. Not saying anyone has, but that's a lot of money being withdrawn from a man whose exploits/crimes are in the full glare of the media. Whoever posted the original clip of him on the private plane must be astonished at the consequences of doing so.

A monk amasses 300 mBht and I don't know how many cars and no one thinks something is fishy? The police and justice system in Thailand continues to amaze...and disgust...me.

A post with a reference to HM the King has been removed. That is forbidden territory, don't even go there.

That's why the DSI spent so much time looking into Mr Wirapols sexlife, to divert attention from the moneytrail. You just have to love the grandmother of the supposed mother of his child, who actually pimped out her granddaughter to the "monk". And her main complaint 11 years later is, he didn't pay!

Who is the plaintiff in this case? Should be the Buddhist sangha of Thailand. But they know better than to rattle the cage, fully aware of how much dirty money is floating around within Thai Buddhism!

A lot of loanshark-money originates from the temples! A lot of loans provided to "buy" promotions comes from the same place.

Mr Wirapol just outsmarted a system, aimed to create wealth by stealing from the poor.

I wish him luck in his future ventures!

41 bank accounts, what a joke.

What about the LOS attracting a 'new' kind of tourist? It would go something like this.

Criminals, listen up!

Just before you enter into your next scam, come to the LOS and commit it here.

You will have a wonderful time; seeing an exotic country, a bevy of beautiful, young girlies at your picking and the locals will even be to shy to speak up against you!

Then when the <deleted> really hits the fan, don't panic, the authorities and BIB will be give you plenty of prior notice before any investigations are even likely to take place.

If they don't or forget to tell you (cos of previous payments of course) again don't worry, their intentions will most definitely be published in many a newspaper, giving you time to drain your ill-gotten gains and flee the country laughing your nuts off!

Sorry about that but this whole shower of <deleted> is really laughable!

With that level of income possible I think I will pop out and get my head shaved

Darn I popped out and got the wrong thing shaved.

Where officially are donations to temples supposed to be banked? Surely not the private accounts of the monks?

Do temples have to set up accounts?

It wasn't a temple, it was a monastery. Monasteries are not subject to the same strict rules and inspections as temples.

That's interesting. I had always just assumed they were one and the same.