Agencies told to hasten probe

[Lite Beer]

KLONGCHAN CREDIT UNION
Agencies told to hasten probe
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Concerted effort needed to complete investigation, deputy prime minister says

DEPUTY Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam yesterday ordered all four agencies responsible for investigating the embezzlement of more than Bt16 billion from the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative to consolidate their efforts and pursue the case with vigour.

Speaking after chairing a meeting of the four agencies, including the Department of Special Investigation, Wissanu said the question over whether the money given to Wat Dhammakaya and its abbot needed to be returned was another matter.

"It will be found out later whether the temple received the money innocently or non-innocently, which would mean it has to return the money," he said.

The other three agencies are the Anti-Money Laundering Office, the Cooperative Promotion Department and the Cooperative Auditing Department. Wissanu said the case had not yet reached Criminal Court.

The DSI has completed its investigation and public prosecutors have decided to indict the credit union's former chairman Supachai Srisupa-aksorn and a number of people, although they have requested additional evidence from the DSI.

Supachai has been charged with public fraud and embezzlement, while the credit union has filed civil lawsuits against him demanding he return all the money.

It has also filed a number of criminal lawsuits against the Pathum Thani-based temple and a number of monks.

Wissanu said these cases would be treated separately and individually.

He said the total amount of embezzled money, following joint decisions between the cooperative and the temple, now stood at Bt684 million.

The temple and the monks will attend a court hearing on March 16 to make agreements on resettlement and payment methods and conditions, he added.

The DSI earlier released information about Bt11.367 billion that was transacted via 878 cheques issued by Supachai to six groups of recipients including Wat Dhammakaya abbot Phra Dhammachayo and a number of people close to Supachai.

Asked about pro-Dhammakaya monks who have threatened to organise a mass rally on March 12 if the National Reform Council does not disband the committee on the protection of Buddhism, which they deem hostile towards the temple, Wissanu declined to comment.

The panel's chairman, Paiboon Nititawan, yesterday announced that the panel disbanded although he would continue with his plan to hold a public forum tackling Buddhism reform on Wednesday.

A senior DSI official, Pol Lt-Colonel Pakorn Sucheewakul, said irregularities were detected over Supachai's decision to grant loans to 27 cooperative members totalling Bt400 million.

Pakorn said there were no signatures of the 27 in loan contracts.

DSI was investigating whether the 27 really existed or whether they were made up to receive or hide money, he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Agencies-told-to-hasten-probe-30255506.html

-- The Nation 2015-03-07

[bangon04]

Judging from the lack of response from TV members, there is nothing more to be said about this story - just another day in Thai high society....

[englishoak]

Just another day in LOS.