webfact Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Abbot arrest for illegal lumber tradeBANGKOK: -- A combined force of soldiers, police and forestry officials yesterday raided and seized lumber, which includes rosewood, valued at more than 50 million baht within the grounds of a monastery located in the Phu Sra Dok Bua National Park in Amnat Charoen province.It has also been discovered that the abbot of the monastery is complicit in the illicit act as a saw-mill and large number of lumber was stored within the monastery.More than 3,200 wood planks were kept in the grounds of the monastery.The monastery is located within the Phu Sra Dok Bua National Park in Nhong Hai sub-district in Senang-khanikhom district in Amnat Charoen province.The raid followed the arrest of suspects involved in illegal logging close to where the monastery is located.That arrest produced a customer log-book in which the name of the abbot was written implicating him in the illicit trade.A large number of different lumber or sawed timber was being kept within the grounds of the monastery cut from protected Siamese rosewood, redwood, rubber wood and Burmese Padauk.The lumber differ in sizes ranging from 2 – 4 meters in length and there were evidently more of them spread out all over the monastery which has yet to be taken into account.Authorities revealed that all the lumber was cut from trees that were felled in the Phu Sra Dok Bua National Park.The felled trees were then brought to the monastery to be processed before being delivered to a major financial backer in Amnat Charoen province.Amnat Charoen police deputy commander Pol Col Chalermkiat Sriworakhan said the police would find out have who is behind the operation and also who is financing it.He said they would coordinate with the Anti Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to discover if there was any illegal transfer of money involved.Amnat Charoen provincial peace-keeping force commander Col Thanasak Mitraphanon said recent investigation has uncovered the name of the possible mastermind behind the operation known as either ‘Sergeant Nor’ or ‘Sia Lor’.Authorities now have to uncover evidence to show any connection to him and any other individuals to the monastery operation, he said.Authorities were also attempting to discover if the operation at the monastery was in any way connected to a recent raid in Nonthaburi province where 30 lorries filled with illegal timber cut from forests in neighboring countries were seized because there are many indications that show that both operations are connected, he added.But the abbot, Phra Wirasak Thit-khuno, defended the accusations stating that the wood were donated to the temple by villagers for the construction of a sermon hall.He claimed all the wood and lumber were brought here as donations from local villagers. Some were brought here as timber while others donated lumber or sawed timber and he kept them all.He also said he had done so for many years that is why there is such a large number of them.The abbot admitted that there is a lot of wood here but they are all from donations to the temple.”The abbot and three other monks were was later disrobed so that formal charges could be filed and arrests made.Several villagers did come out to protest the arrest however but to no avail.The monastery in question was founded around 20 years ago by Phra Wirasak Thit-khuno and authorities believe that the abbot became involved in illegal logging no less than five years ago.(Photo : ชมรมสื่อมวลชน อำนาจเจริญ)Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/abbot-arrest-illegal-lumber-trade -- Thai PBS 2015-01-21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halloween Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 "Several villagers did come out to protest the arrest............" Guess who just became unemployed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony5 Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Another criminal in robes off the streets for some time. More to follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noitom Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Another Thai religious charlatan story. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worgeordie Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I think,slowly ,that Monks will come to realize they cannot just get away with anything,they are not above the law. regards Worgeordie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Robby nz Posted January 21, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted January 21, 2015 Seems there are a whole lot of monks and abbots now being investigated for their bad habits, like the one who had unconscious sex, seems he also had a helicopter pad in a national park. Then there are the ones mentioned in todays opinion piece in the BKK Post. So not only the cops, civil servants and pollies are getting there comeuppance. Lets hope this continues right through society. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Commerce Posted January 21, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted January 21, 2015 Seems there are a whole lot of monks and abbots now being investigated for their bad habits, like the one who had unconscious sex, seems he also had a helicopter pad in a national park. Then there are the ones mentioned in todays opinion piece in the BKK Post. So not only the cops, civil servants and pollies are getting there comeuppance. Lets hope this continues right through society. Hope not! I became a monk 2 weeks ago, and just ordered my new yacht. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Changoverandout Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 ''That arrest produced a customer log-book in which the name of the abbot was written implicating him in the illicit trade.'' Maybe it's only a splinter group :-) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beng Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Greed never pays off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernboy Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Greed never pays off. if only that were true! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ratcatcher Posted January 21, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted January 21, 2015 Seems there are a whole lot of monks and abbots now being investigated for their bad habits, like the one who had unconscious sex, seems he also had a helicopter pad in a national park. Then there are the ones mentioned in todays opinion piece in the BKK Post. So not only the cops, civil servants and pollies are getting there comeuppance. Lets hope this continues right through society. Hope not! I became a monk 2 weeks ago, and just ordered my new yacht. Would that make you a shipmonk? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangon04 Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 "Amnat Charoen police deputy commander Pol Col Chalermkiat Sriworakhan said the police would find out have who is behind the operation and also who is financing it." and then negotiate to make sure they do not need to publicly name them.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commerce Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Seems there are a whole lot of monks and abbots now being investigated for their bad habits, like the one who had unconscious sex, seems he also had a helicopter pad in a national park. Then there are the ones mentioned in todays opinion piece in the BKK Post. So not only the cops, civil servants and pollies are getting there comeuppance. Lets hope this continues right through society. Hope not! I became a monk 2 weeks ago, and just ordered my new yacht. Would that make you a shipmonk? Wat? I nearly keeled over with laughter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chondan Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I live only 7 kilometers away from there. Ithought I knew that all the hills around were stripped of all the trees, but now I know. Such a shame. Not much forest around. It sucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulic Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I read the headline and thought, oh..... he will just say the lumber was donated. Sure enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halloween Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 (edited) So I was walking past the wat the other day, and I saw this Thai bloke with a 4x2 on his shoulder going in. I said "Whatcha doin with that?" He said "I found this rare exotic timber (dressed all round) on the side of the road, and I thought I would donate it to the abbot. I need to buy some merit cos I been shagging my sister-in-law." I said "A lot of that goin on lately." Edited January 21, 2015 by halloween 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fareastguy Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Quote: He said they would coordinate with the Anti Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to discover if there was any illegal transfer of money involved. Please please please stop I'm gonna pee myself !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maidee Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 so it was just another front for criminals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickirs Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 <script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script> I think,slowly ,that Monks will come to realize they cannot just get away with anything,they are not above the law. regards Worgeordie Shhhh. Please Monk Suthep might hear you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickirs Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 The Junta has been talking of prosecuting Buddhist criminal behavior by establishing another government agency. All it really needs to do is use existing criminal laws and disassociate Buddhism as the national religion that requires government intervention. Good luck with doing the latter in the new constitution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now