Fugitive ex-monk narrowly escapes arrest in Laos

[trainman34014]

''The DSI agents could only look on helplessly '' Sounds normal to me for these guys when it comes to anyone who has more than a few thousand Baht. Catching, prosecuting, convicting and actually making anyone serve time who is 'important' seems beyond the scope of any 'law enforcement' agency in Thailand.....Next.

[jbrain]

Reportedly, as 2 sides were negotiating just outside the temple, one of Mr. Wirapol′s disciples then flew a private helicopter owned by the ex-monk to pick up Mr. Wirapol and some of his close companions away. The DSI field agents could only look on helplessly.

Sources also revealed that Mr. Wirapol is currently hiding in a Laotian temple in Oklahoma, USA,

and had received legal advices from an American lawyer.

This guy definitely has a split personality.

Edited September 16, 2013 by metisdead
30) Do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes, added emoticons, or altered wording.

[technologybytes]

He could be innocent.

Given all the publicity he may feel that he has no chance of a fair trial, he may be right.

It seems like there is a lot of effort to arrest him, not even convicted... whilst certain convicted persons can seem untouchable.

There is a feeling that because he is wealthy, has a helicopter and is a Monk that he must be guilty of something... why is that ??

[Artisi]

What a hopeless, pathetic, jumbled, and useless story - it would be a stretch of the imagination to call it a news report.

[slapout]

The monk on the run is the lessor of two evils when compared to the DSI, Kind of like the dog chaseing its tail (if that is what he is chaseing). Just have to specify which is the head and which is the other end being chased. Neither one is woth the newsprint devoted to them.

[Docno]

He could be innocent.

Given all the publicity he may feel that he has no chance of a fair trial, he may be right.

It seems like there is a lot of effort to arrest him, not even convicted... whilst certain convicted persons can seem untouchable.

There is a feeling that because he is wealthy, has a helicopter and is a Monk that he must be guilty of something... why is that ??

On the off-chance that you're not being sarcastic ... you don't think it's a little strange that the guy had website set up to collect donations for multiple 'religious causes' yet ends up living the high-life himself (private jets and helicopters, brand-name personal accessories)? I believe--someone will correct me if wrong--that monks take a vow of personal poverty. That vow seems to have gone out the window here.

There's also the case of him having fathered a child through statutory rape (monks also take a vow of celibacy). There is DNA evidence to back this up. Presumption of innocence is a legal requirement but it does require significant suspension of belief in this instance.

[GeorgeO]

Notice his farange friends arm? Thought it was not permitted to touch a Monk. is this correct? Or is that only for women?

It's okay ... he's not a real monk...!!

[Bung]

How does one go about securing movie rights in Thailand?

[GeorgeO]

He could be innocent.

Given all the publicity he may feel that he has no chance of a fair trial, he may be right.

It seems like there is a lot of effort to arrest him, not even convicted... whilst certain convicted persons can seem untouchable.

There is a feeling that because he is wealthy, has a helicopter and is a Monk that he must be guilty of something... why is that ??

Well, it's essentially because, as a monk, he collected the money under the pretext that it would be used for good causes, not for his personal benefit.

When he took the oath, he swore not to engage in sexual activity, and particularly not with an under-age girl. He also swore not to pursue worldly goods and personal wealth. All of these pledges have been ignored.

I cannot even begin to wonder why the US is considering giving him asylum based upon religious persecution. There has been no suggestion of pursuing him for his religious beliefs, and indeed, it seems to me he simply doesn't have any, certainly none that are consistent with Buddhist principles. He is wanted for several crimes, including extortion and money laundering, so the US should not be interfering in the matter.

Why is there any suggestion that he will not be given a fair trial? And indeed, why does he feel the need to escape from the law? If he has done no wrong, then he should walk into a police station in Thailand and accept arrest. He can then request bail to sort out his legal defence and defeat the charges against him.

I fear that there will be no such outcome because he knows that he is guilty of amassing huge sums of money and property under false pretences ... and he is responsible for bringing a child into this world as a result of statutory rape.

This person has single-handedly done untold damage to the monkhood in Thailand and should be shunned by everyone, including the <deleted> with his arm around the guy's shoulder...!!

[tominbkk]

What do you bet he is wearing bulletproof armor under that robe?

[Halion]

Keystone Cops . The facts as given are about as credible as the actions of the DSI.

[Gonzo the Face]

Don't know if it has been discussed yet or not....... but I can find no mention of this happening in any of Thailands English Lanuage media.

Interesting

[ignis]

I wonder how this guy could 'travel' in and out different countries as such, especially US. anyone goes into the US border demanding valid documents. what he has now - Thai passport, monk's permit, valid visa ? ? ?

Why hasn't Thailand cancelled his passport? The sad thing is, the US will probably give him asylum, since the USCIS has stopped enforcing most immigration laws, except for those who attempt to follow the rules. Then it will be delay and denial, time after time.

Do you think someone with so much money only has a Thai Passport ?

[deepcell]

Everything in this story does not make sense.. one lie after another..

[Nickymaster]

And me thinking that Thailand has such great relationships with neighboring countries since PT took office.

Can't even manage to extradite this guy.

[deepcell]

of course the monk has planed all of this.. he is not an amateur! passports, banks accounts in another paradises to hide the money (Belize, Cayman Islands, and so on).. and I will tell you more, he can easily with money just disappear in the world.. puff it's gone!

[SOTIRIOS]

.....what a pathetic travesty of justice on so many levels.....

[belg]

they try to get a man from laos, but the man from dubai cannot be aprehended?

[ratcatcher]

Mr. Wirapol Sukphol (center, next to the Caucasian individual) after he narrowly escapes from the DSI in Laos.

Perhaps Thai Immigration will note this new term for a farang?

[tingtongteesood]

If it wasn't for the large sums of money involved they wouldn't bother with him at all, but since a large number of people could retire happily on his fortune, they plan to appropriate his assets, then they can all buy new BMW's...

[bangon04]

So the helicopter flew from Laos to Oklahoma???

Of course not. He is a monk and he has supernatural powers. He is easily able to be in two places at once, especially in the mangled English language reporting of the OP

[marell]

It's obvious; he has magical powers. There's no other possible explanation. Hell, the guy's done an immaculate conception, pulled luxury cars out of a hat, materialized tons of gold from thin air and now he's not only flown his private helicopter to the US but teleported an entire Lao temple there as well. Wonder if he has any spare amulets.

[ginjag]

So the helicopter flew from Laos to Oklahoma???

mid air refuelling

If he was being pursued in his copter by a chasing aircraft he could use the Thai invention

an EJECTOR SEAT.

[Songhua]

How does one go about securing movie rights in Thailand?

Do a series:

The Monk Identity

The Monk Ultimatum

The Monk Supremacy

(Don't bother with The Legacy - there won't be one)

[moe666]

The Mad Monk makes Thailand look like banana republic

[Trembly]

Well done DSI, with your usual professional determination you appear to have entered another sovereign nation to try and enforce Thai law.

This is an international NO, NO and the usual procedure is to have local officers make the actual arrest than take the necessary legal steps to have the arrested person handed over. Given nationalistic feelings there may be more to this and certainly here in Isan the average Thai looks down on people from Lao but it seems the incompetence of the DSI knows no bounds.

Mind you it hasn't stopped the ever loyal Tarit having his tenure extended by a year.

I very much doubt that the DSI entered Lao to serve the arrest warrant without the full knowledge and acquiescence of the Lao government. It would simply be impossible and huge faux pas etiquette that would never be forgiven by the Laotian government. You may as well have tried to do it in the Soviet Union.

However, once in Lao they would be subject to the whims of (various strata) of Lao officials who can then play games with semantics (as they did) about not carrying a written permit for a specific act etc even though those self-same officials would know full well that the DSI could not have gotten so far without Vientiane's knowledge. The thing about Lao is that it is a Stalinist state that also happens to be the world's closest relative to Thailand in terms of culture . . . so the government is joined up but not joined up. Same same but different.

Or it could have been a double game by Vientiane all along (having already received their bung from The Monk).

Outcomes in this part of the world tend to be pre-negotiated, and what looks like the start of action is often actually the culmination.

Edited September 16, 2013 by Trembly

[NongKhaiKid]

Well done DSI, with your usual professional determination you appear to have entered another sovereign nation to try and enforce Thai law.

This is an international NO, NO and the usual procedure is to have local officers make the actual arrest than take the necessary legal steps to have the arrested person handed over. Given nationalistic feelings there may be more to this and certainly here in Isan the average Thai looks down on people from Lao but it seems the incompetence of the DSI knows no bounds.

Mind you it hasn't stopped the ever loyal Tarit having his tenure extended by a year.

I very much doubt that the DSI entered Lao to serve the arrest warrant without the full knowledge and acquiescence of the Lao government. It would simply be impossible and huge faux pas etiquette that would never be forgiven by the Laotian government. You may as well have tried to do it in the Soviet Union.

However, once in Lao they would be subject to the whims of (various strata) of Lao officials who can then play games with semantics (as they did) about not carrying a written permit for a specific act etc even though those self-same officials would know full well that the DSI could not have gotten so far without Vientiane's knowledge. The thing about Lao is that it is a Stalinist state that also happens to be the world's closest relative to Thailand in terms of culture . . . so the government is joined up but not joined up. Same same but different.

Or it could have been a double game by Vientiane all along (having already received their bung from The Monk).

Outcomes in this part of the world tend to be pre-negotiated, and what looks like the start of action is often actually the culmination.

How ironic it would be if the DSI were thwarted in Laos by the type of double dealing and corruption that's commonplace in Thai judicial system at home.

[Dibbler]

How did he return from Lao back to the US? Which country did he board the plane and what visa does he have to enter the US? There are so many things missing here the story reads like the teaser for a new action adventure novel. Even more questionable is how DSI could not trace a helicopter that clearly had to have official permissions to fly inside Lao and likely had other permits to enter and land in Thai airspace. He'll make a fortune when this tale is finally turned into a book, and then probably a Hollywood B-grade flick!

[Credo]

He is urgently need back in Thailand to perform the Thai Airways rituals. He seems to be one of the few who is managing the transport stuff quite well.

[tonneke breda]

It are not higher powers which protect this monk but some wealthy powers (not Austin Powers).

It's nearly funny to see the DSI fail in all high profile cases, and only are able to catch the smaller fish