Phra Dhammachayo to be questioned by the DSI

[webfact]

Phra Dhammachayo to be questioned by the DSI



BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has issued summonses for the interrogation of Wat Dhammakaya abbot Phra Dhammachayo and other monks in the temple who received cheques from Klong Chan Credit Union Cooperative.

DSI deputy director-general Pol Col Paisit Wongmuang said today that all the monks summonsed would be questioned starting March 10.

Mr Supachai Srisupa-aksorn, former chairman of the cooperative, issued several cheques amounting totally 800 million baht and donated them to Wat Dhammakaya, Phra Dhammachaya and a few monks at the same temple. The man and seven other associates are facing embezzlement charges for cheating the cooperation of about 15,000 million baht.

Pol Col Paisit said that the DSI also issued several summonses for executives of companies who have received cheques from Mr Supachai during 2009-2012 to be questioned as well.

Meanwhile, Pol Lt-Col Pakorn Suchivakul, chief of enquiry officers charged with probing the money trail linkage between Klong Chan Credit Union Cooperative and Wat Dhammakaya said that the temple’s abbot did not show up personally for questioning because the subject under investigation did not concern cheques issued to the abbot.

But this time it concerned cheques issued in the abbot’s name so he had to show up for questioning, said the officer.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/phra-dhammachayo-to-be-questioned-by-the-dsi


-- Thai PBS 2015-03-04

[clockman]

If the devil, were to cast his net!

[Anthony5]

It looks like Phra Dhammachayo also isn't happy with his gender.

[tukkytuktuk]

"Oy, you, monk come here" Dsi

"It's Macha Bucha day, have you no respect" says the monk

"Respect, cuff him, throw him in the back of the van with the rest of them" dsi

Meanwhile down south another monk is murdered.

Reset, Restart, Reform = Get rid of Thaksin's influence in Thailand even if it means deprivation of the masses.

[webfact]

WAT DHAMMAKAYA
DSI summons abbot over questionable donation
PIYANUCH THAMNUKASETCHAI,
PAKAMARD JAICHALARD
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE DEPARTMENT of Special Investigation yesterday issued a summons for Phra Dhammachayo, the abbot of Wat Dhammakaya, and a number of monks to explain why they and the temple accepted a donation of a suspected ill-gotten Bt800 million.

The DSI alleges the money came from a key suspect in the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative embezzlement case, which resulted in a loss of around Bt16 billion in members' savings. The abbot and the monks signed as recipients of about Bt800 million through 15 cheques issued to them by former cooperative manager Supachai Srisupaaksorn, said Phaisit Wong-muang, a deputy DSI director-general.

A series of meetings with the monks will begin next Tuesday, together with a number of people or businessmen who received donations from Supachai between 2009 and 2012 when he was manager of the cooperative, located in Bangkok's Bang Kapi district.

Meanwhile, National Reform Council member Paiboon Nititawan yesterday established a public forum to be held at Parliament House on March 11 to hear feedback from the public over ongoing reforms related to Thai Buddhism and the Wat Dhammakaya issue. Two other forums will be held later outside Bangkok at dates to be scheduled, he said.

Paiboon, head of the NRC's panel charged with reform and protection of Buddhism affairs, set the March 11 forum as a pre-emptive act in response to a call for the scrapping of his panel by a group of senior pro-Dhammakaya monks. The monks had earlier threatened to launch a large-scale rally on March 12 if Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and NRC president Thianchay Kiranandana did not disband Paiboon's panel.

Paiboon said earlier he was not worried by the threat of a large-scale rally by the group of monks who support Dhammakaya.

A senior DSI official, Pakorn Sucheewakul, said the original set of DSI investigators had not summoned the abbot, but had meetings with his lawyers, but "this time Phra Dhammachayo will be summoned directly for explanations, as recipient of the cheques".

The DSI, following advice from public prosecutors, is probing further into Supachai's issuance of 878 cheques during his time as the manager. Supachai, released on bail, has been charged with embezzlement by the DSI, and public prosecutors are asking for more evidence and further allegations against him from the DSI.

A large number of cooperative members have also filed fraud and embezzlement claims against Supachai, together with issuing a large number of civil lawsuits demanding he pay back their lost savings.

The abbot and Wat Dhammakaya have been under fire on several fronts, initially from public criticism over city-walk activities on several occasions that caused heavy traffic congestion. Also they were coupled with the credit-union embezzlement case, which linked the abbot and other monks to money allegedly received from an embezzlement suspect. The temple had said earlier that it would return some Bt700 million to the cooperative after media and public criticism, before this latest action by the DSI.

A pro-Dhammakaya activist, Sathian Wiphromama, acting head of the Association of Academics for Buddhism, said he would file a petition against activist monk Phra Buddha Issara. He accused him of intimidating acting pro-Dhammakaya Supreme Patriach Somdej Maha Ratchamang-khalajarn, by leading a rally last week to Wat Paknam where the senior monk resides, in a call for reform of the Sangha Supreme Council.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/DSI-summons-abbot-over-questionable-donation-30255335.html

-- The Nation 2015-03-05

[NeverSure]

Are they saying that this has been happening since 2009 and they are just now finding it? A team of auditors can key-date a bank and balance it to the satang in a day. That includes the stated accruals both income and expense. That's everything. Then by the end of the week they can check for proper operating procedures.

What do the regulators do for a living?

[NongKhaiKid]

A summons may be issued but, as is quite usual, how long will it take to get compliance as no matter how big an investigation is the DSI are very flexible and show little urgency.

Note the first team of investigators didn't bother to interview the abbot and simply spoke to his lawyers.

[Robby nz]

Are they saying that this has been happening since 2009 and they are just now finding it? A team of auditors can key-date a bank and balance it to the satang in a day. That includes the stated accruals both income and expense. That's everything. Then by the end of the week they can check for proper operating procedures.

What do the regulators do for a living?

It would seem that the embezzlement was only recently discovered when some people couldn't withdraw their savings.

Supachai was a bank manager involved, the main man, the former boss of the Klongchan Credit Union who made most of the donations to the temple is on the run in the UK where he has duel citizenship.

A series of meetings with the monks will begin next Tuesday, together with a number of people or businessmen who received donations from Supachai between 2009 and 2012 when he was manager of the cooperative, located in Bangkok's Bang Kapi district.

The 'people and businessmen' appear to be separate from the donations to the temple and associates which is what the monk is now being summonsed to 'talk' about.

Apparently there was a total of 11.3 billion given to the temple, monks, the temple credit union and a temple owned company.

Was also reported that 4 billion in funds and goods had already been frozen or recovered from the 'people or businessmen' mentioned.

[NeilSA1]

I can't help but respect monk Phra Buddha Issara regardless of what some people think about his actions last year, calling him the 'mad monk' etc. He has the balls to stand up for his beliefs.

He lead " a rally last week to Wat Paknam where the senior monk resides, in a call for reform of the Sangha Supreme Council."

For a while now he has been vocal about certain aspects of Thai Buddhism. Reading TV members comments on Thai Buddhism, reinforces that what this monk is trying to achieve, should be welcomed by most TV members.

"...he is calling for a radical overhaul of Thai Buddhism, "

"....Money, corruption and drugs: Monk fears Buddhism in Thailand is a 'poisoned fruit'..."

"....Monk wants to reform structure of Thai Buddhism to curb graft ..."

"...Phra Buddha Issara fears millions of dollars in temple donations and a rapidly modernising nation are corrupting monks...."

[Valentine]

Anyone who commits a criminal act should be charged accordingly & monks should not be allowed to hide behind the Sanga Council same as politicians should not be able to evade charges by hiding behind parliamentary immunity.

[sweatalot]

I can't help but respect monk Phra Buddha Issara regardless of what some people think about his actions last year, calling him the 'mad monk' etc. He has the balls to stand up for his beliefs.

He lead " a rally last week to Wat Paknam where the senior monk resides, in a call for reform of the Sangha Supreme Council."

For a while now he has been vocal about certain aspects of Thai Buddhism. Reading TV members comments on Thai Buddhism, reinforces that what this monk is trying to achieve, should be welcomed by most TV members.

"...he is calling for a radical overhaul of Thai Buddhism, "

"....Money, corruption and drugs: Monk fears Buddhism in Thailand is a 'poisoned fruit'..."

"....Monk wants to reform structure of Thai Buddhism to curb graft ..."

"...Phra Buddha Issara fears millions of dollars in temple donations and a rapidly modernising nation are corrupting monks...."

I agree with you 100 %.

And what he did last year together with Suthep was the same. He had the balls to stand up for his belief that a corrupt and incapable government should be chased away even if they called themselves "democratic"

And those who insult him do that only because because he does not tolerate their corrupt friends

As one poster here always repeats "Truth is treason in a kingdom of lies"

Edited March 5, 2015 by sweatalot

[Anthony5]

A summons may be issued but, as is quite usual, how long will it take to get compliance as no matter how big an investigation is the DSI are very flexible and show little urgency.

Note the first team of investigators didn't bother to interview the abbot and simply spoke to his lawyers.

Last time they summoned the pal, they had to engage an army battery to get him out.

[FangFerang]

I can't help but respect monk Phra Buddha Issara regardless of what some people think about his actions last year, calling him the 'mad monk' etc. He has the balls to stand up for his beliefs.

He lead " a rally last week to Wat Paknam where the senior monk resides, in a call for reform of the Sangha Supreme Council."

For a while now he has been vocal about certain aspects of Thai Buddhism. Reading TV members comments on Thai Buddhism, reinforces that what this monk is trying to achieve, should be welcomed by most TV members.

"...he is calling for a radical overhaul of Thai Buddhism, "

"....Money, corruption and drugs: Monk fears Buddhism in Thailand is a 'poisoned fruit'..."

"....Monk wants to reform structure of Thai Buddhism to curb graft ..."

"...Phra Buddha Issara fears millions of dollars in temple donations and a rapidly modernising nation are corrupting monks...."

I agree with you 100 %.

And what he did last year together with Suthep was the same. He had the balls to stand up for his belief that a corrupt and incapable government should be chased away even if they called themselves "democratic"

And those who insult him do that only because because he does not tolerate their corrupt friends

As one poster here always repeats "Truth is treason in a kingdom of lies"

Negative:

I insult the mad monk because monk's are not supposed to be involved in politics. It runs contrary to their creed. Monk's are to be "in the center", and Budda Mad Issara is clearly in the far right wing of politics and very far from center.

[NeilSA1]

I can't help but respect monk Phra Buddha Issara regardless of what some people think about his actions last year, calling him the 'mad monk' etc. He has the balls to stand up for his beliefs.

He lead " a rally last week to Wat Paknam where the senior monk resides, in a call for reform of the Sangha Supreme Council."

For a while now he has been vocal about certain aspects of Thai Buddhism. Reading TV members comments on Thai Buddhism, reinforces that what this monk is trying to achieve, should be welcomed by most TV members.

"...he is calling for a radical overhaul of Thai Buddhism, "

"....Money, corruption and drugs: Monk fears Buddhism in Thailand is a 'poisoned fruit'..."

"....Monk wants to reform structure of Thai Buddhism to curb graft ..."

"...Phra Buddha Issara fears millions of dollars in temple donations and a rapidly modernising nation are corrupting monks...."

I agree with you 100 %.

And what he did last year together with Suthep was the same. He had the balls to stand up for his belief that a corrupt and incapable government should be chased away even if they called themselves "democratic"

And those who insult him do that only because because he does not tolerate their corrupt friends

As one poster here always repeats "Truth is treason in a kingdom of lies"

Negative:

I insult the mad monk because monk's are not supposed to be involved in politics. It runs contrary to their creed. Monk's are to be "in the center", and Budda Mad Issara is clearly in the far right wing of politics and very far from center.

I agree with you in general. Treat every case on its merit.

But please look at the "tireless and inspirational efforts of (Bishop) Desmond Tutu on behalf of apartheid victims, (his) efforts..led to his Nobel Prize for Peace".

For many years he was a thorn in the side of the South African apartheid government who also complained about allowing religion and politics to mix. IMO he did the right thing. I respect him enormously. Even today he will still state his mind, and has criticized the current ANC government who he has supported for many years. Honest people must stand up against genuine graft and corruption.

And what about Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) who was an American Baptist minister, activist, humanitarian, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights. Should he have been condemned? (He probably was at the time by certain people)

I would agree with you 100% in certain cases as per the current ANC president of South Africa, who has was ordained as a minister a few years ago.

(He has been constantly challenged over a corruption... He is under investigation for using hate speech. Published: 19 ... Feb 2015)

[khaowong1]

Wat Dhammakaya and the abbot have very high up political followers and members.. Even as high as what can not be named. He may get a slap on the wrist but I expect that's all. I believe a big shake up of the Sangha council will need to be done before anything can be changed. All this money floating around is just a part of the corruption in this temple.