NACC asked to probe Wat Saket’s abbot for alleged corruption



BANGKOK: -- A complaint was lodged with the National Anti-Corruption Commission today by a man who claimed to represent a group of people accusing the abbot of Wat Saket of allegedly misappropriating a fund for the business interest of his relatives.

The complaint letter addressed to NACC secretary-general Sansern Poljiak together with evidences of the alleged corruption was received by Mr Nipon Thammasri, director of the anti-corruption office for government and private sectors.

Mr Chaithanapol Srijeewangsa, representative of the People’s Network for the Protection of the Nation, the Religion and the King which initiated the complaint, said that the previous government had allocated 67.5 million baht for the funeral of Somdet Phra Buddhajarn, former acting supreme patriarch.

However, he alleged that Phra Promsuthee, abbot of Wat Saket and a member of the Sangha council, might have misused some of the 67.5 million baht fund to support his relatives’ housing project in Tambon Samruen, Bang Pa-in district of Ayutthaya.

He said that the alleged misuse of fund had landed the committee responsible for the funeral into trouble for having to shoulder debts owed to a private company hired to arrange the funeral.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/nacc-asked-probe-wat-sakets-abbot-alleged-corruption/


-- Thai PBS 2014-09-08

Misused some of the 67.5 million baht fund to support his relatives’ housing project in Tambon Samruen, Bang Pa-in district of Ayutthaya?

Incredible!

This is why no one here should have absolute power over funds, if true this is a disgrace.

67.5 million for a funeral? Talk about misuse of funds...

67.5 million for a funeral? Talk about misuse of funds...

Now that really is making merit.

67.5 million for a funeral? Talk about misuse of funds...

Princess Diana – 5 Million Pounds Pope John Paul II – 9 Million Euros Ronald Reagan – $400 Million

67.5 million for a funeral? Talk about misuse of funds...

Princess Diana – 5 Million Pounds Pope John Paul II – 9 Million Euros Ronald Reagan – $400 Million

Your point being what? That the massive waste of public money is acceptable?

67.5 million for a funeral? Talk about misuse of funds...

Princess Diana – 5 Million Pounds Pope John Paul II – 9 Million Euros Ronald Reagan – $400 Million

Your point being what? That the massive waste of public money is acceptable?

Quite the contrary.. the point being this massive waste of public funds it not unique to Thailand

Misused some of the 67.5 million baht fund to support his relatives’ housing project in Tambon Samruen, Bang Pa-in district of Ayutthaya?

Incredible!

I think the monk was investing for the temple.

The returns was very good, so the Monk can use it for more charity.

67.5 million for a funeral? Talk about misuse of funds...

Princess Diana – 5 Million Pounds Pope John Paul II – 9 Million Euros Ronald Reagan – $400 Million

Your point being what? That the massive waste of public money is acceptable?

Quite the contrary.. the point being this massive waste of public funds it not unique to Thailand

Maybe you missed the point then. This is about the funeral of 'a' monk, whoever he might have been in this life and how high his position was in the Sangha, who had in becoming a monk chosen for poverty, and rejected all the temptations of wordly goods, for whom, considering he visibly did not make a will opposing it(?), many believers have been making donations, and the pseudo-government has decided to spend Bht.67,500,000.-, for a funeral rite! And, cherry on the cake, his successor at the Wat, a high member of the Sangha, would maybe have 'misplaced' (in his alms bowl?) a fair chunk of the money to favour family businesses. What it is about, is the, extremely, sad state of the Buddhist 'establishment' in Thailand! Money, greed, corruption, and worse, not one hair (sorry for the bold monks) better than police, military, state and local officials, state companies, industrials, businessmen, traders, you name it: ONE ROTTEN BUNCH! Which General would be able, and willing, to change that, with the only possibility being a 'tabulla rasa', within a year or two, ...and get the compulsory 'support' to get it through? Not yesterday, not today, not tomorrow, till the vast majority of citizens, the real, true Thai will come up and say: enough is enough! 2013/2014 was IMHO just a warning by the disgrunted masses the PDRC succeeded in canalising in its profit, but when there is a next time, the so-called reds and yellows might well find some common ground and make tabulla rasa by themselves, and that would not be via the fast evolutions most of us hope for, but, I'm afraid, a revolution, with its huge load of further bloodshed and new injustice... IMHO, the clock is ticking for whole of the Thai establishment, elites old and new, it is truly 'now or never' NCPO, the task is huge, but this seems to be the last opportunity to set things right within the Thailand we know today...

Quite the contrary.. the point being this massive waste of public funds it not unique to Thailand

Maybe you missed the point then. This is about the funeral of 'a' monk, whoever he might have been in this life and how high his position was in the Sangha, who had in becoming a monk chosen for poverty, and rejected all the temptations of wordly goods, for whom, considering he visibly did not make a will opposing it(?), many believers have been making donations, and the pseudo-government has decided to spend Bht.67,500,000.-, for a funeral rite! And, cherry on the cake, his successor at the Wat, a high member of the Sangha, would maybe have 'misplaced' (in his alms bowl?) a fair chunk of the money to favour family businesses. What it is about, is the, extremely, sad state of the Buddhist 'establishment' in Thailand! Money, greed, corruption, and worse, not one hair (sorry for the bold monks) better than police, military, state and local officials, state companies, industrials, businessmen, traders, you name it: ONE ROTTEN BUNCH! Which General would be able, and willing, to change that, with the only possibility being a 'tabulla rasa', within a year or two, ...and get the compulsory 'support' to get it through? Not yesterday, not today, not tomorrow, till the vast majority of citizens, the real, true Thai will come up and say: enough is enough! 2013/2014 was IMHO just a warning by the disgrunted masses the PDRC succeeded in canalising in its profit, but when there is a next time, the so-called reds and yellows might well find some common ground and make tabulla rasa by themselves, and that would not be via the fast evolutions most of us hope for, but, I'm afraid, a revolution, with its huge load of further bloodshed and new injustice... IMHO, the clock is ticking for whole of the Thai establishment, elites old and new, it is truly 'now or never' NCPO, the task is huge, but this seems to be the last opportunity to set things right within the Thailand we know today...

It was actually you who missed the point, the OP is not about a monk's funeral, it is about an allegation of the mishandling of the allocated funds for the funeral of the acting Supreme Patriarch. Whether the amount was appropriate or not, it is ridiculous in the extreme to refer to the deceased monk's vows as at that stage he had, obviously, no control over what was spent.

Princess Diana – 5 Million Pounds Pope John Paul II – 9 Million Euros Ronald Reagan – $400 Million

Your point being what? That the massive waste of public money is acceptable?

Quite the contrary.. the point being this massive waste of public funds it not unique to Thailand

All though you are quite correct you are using it as a means to belittle the case the article is about.

This is Thailand and as such not subject to some sort of international case law that I have never heard about.

While I am hear I would also like to point out a part of the article you seemed to have missed. Don't feel lonely most people did to.

However, he alleged that Phra Promsuthee, abbot of Wat Saket and a member of the Sangha council, might have misused some of the 67.5 million baht fund to support his relatives’ housing project in Tambon Samruen, Bang Pa-in district of Ayutthaya.

It would not surprise me if it was the truth.

But that is just a poor attempt at causing trouble. He had no proof what so ever. The NACC has more important things to do than that. Prioritize it and in a few years it might come up. In the mean time I believe there is a Buddhist hierarchy who is responsible to look into these things.

Princess Diana – 5 Million Pounds Pope John Paul II – 9 Million Euros Ronald Reagan – $400 Million

Your point being what? That the massive waste of public money is acceptable?

Quite the contrary.. the point being this massive waste of public funds it not unique to Thailand

Maybe you missed the point then. This is about the funeral of 'a' monk, whoever he might have been in this life and how high his position was in the Sangha, who had in becoming a monk chosen for poverty, and rejected all the temptations of wordly goods, for whom, considering he visibly did not make a will opposing it(?), many believers have been making donations, and the pseudo-government has decided to spend Bht.67,500,000.-, for a funeral rite! And, cherry on the cake, his successor at the Wat, a high member of the Sangha, would maybe have 'misplaced' (in his alms bowl?) a fair chunk of the money to favour family businesses. What it is about, is the, extremely, sad state of the Buddhist 'establishment' in Thailand! Money, greed, corruption, and worse, not one hair (sorry for the bold monks) better than police, military, state and local officials, state companies, industrials, businessmen, traders, you name it: ONE ROTTEN BUNCH! Which General would be able, and willing, to change that, with the only possibility being a 'tabulla rasa', within a year or two, ...and get the compulsory 'support' to get it through? Not yesterday, not today, not tomorrow, till the vast majority of citizens, the real, true Thai will come up and say: enough is enough! 2013/2014 was IMHO just a warning by the disgrunted masses the PDRC succeeded in canalising in its profit, but when there is a next time, the so-called reds and yellows might well find some common ground and make tabulla rasa by themselves, and that would not be via the fast evolutions most of us hope for, but, I'm afraid, a revolution, with its huge load of further bloodshed and new injustice... IMHO, the clock is ticking for whole of the Thai establishment, elites old and new, it is truly 'now or never' NCPO, the task is huge, but this seems to be the last opportunity to set things right within the Thailand we know today...

What ever.

I was wondering if the monks really have to take a vow or whatever it is called of poverty? Seems to me I see a lot of them walking around with some smart phones. Are they all gifts. Most of the ones I see riding in Songthaew's pay the driver.

What ever.

I was wondering if the monks really have to take a vow or whatever it is called of poverty? Seems to me I see a lot of them walking around with some smart phones. Are they all gifts. Most of the ones I see riding in Songthaew's pay the driver.

Don't Catholic priests take a vow of poverty and chastity too? Ignoring both doesn't seem a problem to many so called religious men of today, following in the footsteps of the predecessors who did just the same.

If religious leaders treat vows with contempt what chance is there of a politician ever being worried?

Oh my Thai Bhudda. Not another one!

67.5 million for a funeral? Talk about misuse of funds...

The cremation was done with well seasoned jasmine flavored designer firewood from 200 year old Kathmandu oaks. That justifies the price.

67.5 million for a funeral? Talk about misuse of funds...

Princess Diana – 5 Million Pounds Pope John Paul II – 9 Million Euros Ronald Reagan – $400 Million

Your point being what? That the massive waste of public money is acceptable?

Quite the contrary.. the point being this massive waste of public funds it not unique to Thailand

A fair point although there may have been security issues and a lot more people involved in those.