Thai 'monk' probe looks at huge policy buy-up

[webfact]

'Monk' probe looks at huge policy buy-up
Piyanut Tumnukasetchai
The Nation



DSI checking claim followers bought insurance policies worth Bt500 million

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is probing money-laundering allegations after a contact suggested disciples of jet-setting ex-monk Wirapol Sukphol, formerly known as Luang Pu Nemkham, bought Bt500 million worth of savings insurance policies worth two years ago.

The policies were allegedly bought at various bank including a Bank of Ayudhya branch in Ubon Ratchathani.

DSI deputy chief Pol Colonel Yannapol Yungyuen said the agency was following a lead that some close followers of Wirapol bought insurance policies for themselves on various occasions - for amounts of Bt10-20 million or even Bt50 million, until they totalled some Bt500 million.

He said the DSI would check where the followers got the money to buy such expensive insurance policies and who was involved.

The DSI would summon bank employees as witnesses for information because there was an allegation that disciples were paid Bt160,000 in commission per Bt1-million insurance purchase.

Yannapol raised the question whether such policies were bought to embezzle money and avoid detection.

He said DSI officials were looking at a complaint to the the Police Central Investigation Bureau filed by Wirapol's disciple Sukhum Wongprasit for abuse of authority and warned that the DSI could counter-sue if the complaint was faulty.

Pol Colonel Songsak Raksaksakul, chief of the DSI’s office of foreign affairs and international criminal cases, said the DSI sent documents, including arrest warrants for Wirapol's alleged statutory rape and money-laundering, to US authorities so they can consider revoking Wirapol's visa. They expect a response by next week.

Pattanakit Meesa, manager of NS Speed Auto Sale and Service Co, yesterday submitted documents to DSI investigators about the sale of three cars worth a total of Bt40 million. Pattanakit, accompanied by a lawyer, said the company had seized the three cars - a Mercedes Benz Maybach (62S model), a BMW X6 car and a Porsche Cayenne - three years ago after the former monk failed to pay instalments on time.

He said Wirapol contacted the company to buy the cars himself while travelling to get medical treatment at Bangkok Hospital. He said Wirapol placed a Bt2-million down payment on the Mercedes Benz Maybach and promised to pay Bt1 million every month.

However, after paying eight installments he stopped and the company retrieved the car.

The other two cars were in a similar situation and the ex-monk co-operated as the company repossessed them.

He said the company had not sold any cars to him since.


-- The Nation 2013-07-30

[angsta]

Religion. Amazing

[theblether]

Highly profitable too.

[alfalfa19]

Was he planning to bump off his followers in order to collect the insurance?

[patayayaya]

reaching nirvana and baht go hand in hand

[noitom]

Give me some of that old time religion. Hallelulah! We are saved.

[hookedondhamma]

reaching nirvana and baht go hand in hand

no, not really. But claiming to be enlightened when not, what wrongfully accepting support from misusing their donation s given out of faith - if I were him my life would be over already; what is coming after this one will not be good (for anyone wanting to take stabs at that, find the pali cannon and read up on it there - Buddhists will understand but the majority who are not may not). He knows enough about the teachings yet he still did what he did.

[Tatsujin]

Yannapol raised the question whether such policies were bought to embezzle money and avoid detection.

Seems to me that the whole thing was set up to embezzle money . . . why is it so hard to find where these very large amounts of money come from? Or were they all "cash" donations? And if they were, isn't there a limit on the amount allowed to be "donated" without filing some kind of paperwork?

[Pib]

The DSI would summon bank employees as witnesses for information because there was an allegation that disciples were paid Bt160,000 in commission per Bt1-million insurance purchase.

Well, we've now reached bottom....monks effectively selling insurance.

And I can just see it, the beneficiary on the life insurance being in the monk's (or temple's) name. I wonder if the monks' real prayers were then for a long & happy life for the person or take him now lord!

[garydubbs]

Or were they all "cash" donations? And if they were, isn't there a limit on the amount allowed to be "donated" without filing some kind of paperwork?

seriously? paperwork for cash payments in thailand

[RobertHima]

He said Wirapol contacted the company to buy the cars himself while travelling to get medical treatment at Bangkok Hospital. He said Wirapol placed a Bt2-million down payment on the Mercedes Benz Maybach and promised to pay Bt1 million every month.

Now this is an interesting leasing construction, I'd like to have something like this. Just promise that I will pay, without papertrack of any income, and that's enough. It's usually a little more difficult for me.

[TackyToo]

"He said the DSI would check where the followers got the money to buy such expensive insurance policies and who was involved."

I think the checking comes to an immediate halt the moment one of those notorious "influential persons" comes to the surface of this swamp. And a few weeks later they let them sink back into safe waters so deep that everybody is scared to dive in.

[LomSak27]

_{Pol Colonel Songsak Raksaksakul, chief of the DSI’s office of foreign affairs and international criminal cases, said the DSI sent documents, including arrest warrants for Wirapol's alleged statutory rape and money-laundering, to US authorities so they can consider revoking Wirapol's visa. They expect a response by next week.}

First time I have heard it mentioned that he has actually had been charged and accroding to this its been sent to the US - Interesting thopugh why not extradite him ? why go for revoking his visa? ---- you get the idea that the police are not keen on that., its like a game of musical chairs

[Bakseeda]

_{Pol Colonel Songsak Raksaksakul, chief of the DSI’s office of foreign affairs and international criminal cases, said the DSI sent documents, including arrest warrants for Wirapol's alleged statutory rape and money-laundering, to US authorities so they can consider revoking Wirapol's visa. They expect a response by next week.}

First time I have heard it mentioned that he has actually had been charged and accroding to this its been sent to the US - Interesting thopugh why not extradite him ? why go for revoking his visa? ---- you get the idea that the police are not keen on that., its like a game of musical chairs

He has not been charged as of yet.... in Thailand a person has to be there in person to be charged.. there is only an arrest warrant issued for his arrest so that they can charge him when he gets here..(if) And because he has Not been charged the Americans do not have to extradite him... catch 22.... Go with God..

[SOTIRIOS]

.....this is just another 'drop in the bucket'...and surely, nothing will come of it.....except some 'token justice'.......

[Arjay]

Religion. Amazing

A Monk with a Maybach!

[paulyd2k]

he,he a maybach, this monk was gangsta,lol, how could he go throwing all this money about and not get suspected of wrong doing, but then it`s Thailand, say no more,

[sonar6ca]

This story get better everyday.

[mrfill]

_{Pol Colonel Songsak Raksaksakul, chief of the DSI’s office of foreign affairs and international criminal cases, said the DSI sent documents, including arrest warrants for Wirapol's alleged statutory rape and money-laundering, to US authorities so they can consider revoking Wirapol's visa. They expect a response by next week.}

First time I have heard it mentioned that he has actually had been charged and accroding to this its been sent to the US - Interesting thopugh why not extradite him ? why go for revoking his visa? ---- you get the idea that the police are not keen on that., its like a game of musical chairs

He has not been charged as of yet.... in Thailand a person has to be there in person to be charged.. there is only an arrest warrant issued for his arrest so that they can charge him when he gets here..(if) And because he has Not been charged the Americans do not have to extradite him... catch 22.... Go with God..

Perhaps the idea is to get his visa revoked which would mean they could deport him to his home country without all the hassle of going for extradition.

A trick the US tried with John Lennon....

[belg]

TAT must be unhappy

to show the world that the religion in thailand is officially : GREED and not buddism

[bigbamboo]

TAT must be unhappy

to show the world that the religion in thailand is officially : GREED and not buddism

I bet the Vatican number crunchers are looking on with admiration though.

[metisdead]

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