webfact Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Temple's finance team aims to explain donations to DSIThe NationBANGKOK: -- THE DHAMMAKAYA Temple's finance team will speak to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) about how the temple and its abbot, Phra Dhammachayo, received huge donations from an embezzlement-hit cooperative.Lawyer Samphan Sermcheep, who represents the abbot, said yesterday that he had asked the DSI to schedule a meeting with the finance team before March 26, when Phra Dhammachayo is scheduled to be questioned by the DSI.According to the lawyer, the abbot has never seen any cheques handed in by Supachai Srisupa-aksorn, now a former president of the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative, because donations are usually handled by the temple's finance team. Supachai is facing charges related to allegations that he and some accomplices had illegally funnelled more than Bt10 billion from the cooperative's bank accounts, of which at least Bt684 million is believed to have gone to Dhammakaya Temple and its abbot.Samphan said a mediation session between the temple and the cooperative's representatives would be held next Monday. The cooperative is trying to pressure the temple into returning the money it received. The authorities are now looking into the embezzlement at the cooperative in a bid to nail down the culprits.Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Temples-finance-team-aims-to-explain-donations-to--30255834.html-- The Nation 2015-03-12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Robby nz Posted March 11, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted March 11, 2015 (edited) Just give the money back to its rightful owners the people who have been swindled out of their savings. If the temple and its abbot had had any thought for anyone but themselves they would have returned the money the first day they knew the money that had been donated to them had been obtained illegally. They are an immensely rich organization with the ability to pay the money back, to say the particular checks they received have been spent is no excuse. The longer this goes on the more they are making themselves look like a pack of crooks. Anyway what the heck is a temple doing with a finance team ? That must be about as far from the principals of Buddhism as you can possibly get. Edited March 11, 2015 by Robby nz 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxLee Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Operation: Rug it under the carpet and inactive post and attitude adjustment Thai style.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitrevie Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I seem to recall Mother Teresa being informed that a million dollars donated to her cause had been given by Charles Keating from the Savings and Loans organization that he had swindled. Requests to return the funds to their rightful owners fell on deaf ears. I guess at least we can say in this case that someone has turned up to explain why they are not getting any money back. Perhaps the Thais need to borrow some Chinese expertise in these matters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
issanaus Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 If Dhammakaya and its "monks" have nothing to hid then they should allow a full external audit of their books - lets say by a large international accounting firm. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Thaddeus Posted March 12, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted March 12, 2015 Anyway what the heck is a temple doing with a finance team ? That must be about as far from the principals of Buddhism as you can possibly get. You beat me to it Robby. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roo860 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Just give the money back to its rightful owners the people who have been swindled out of their savings. If the temple and its abbot had had any thought for anyone but themselves they would have returned the money the first day they knew the money that had been donated to them had been obtained illegally. They are an immensely rich organization with the ability to pay the money back, to say the particular checks they received have been spent is no excuse. The longer this goes on the more they are making themselves look like a pack of crooks. Anyway what the heck is a temple doing with a finance team ? That must be about as far from the principals of Buddhism as you can possibly get. They are a pack of crooks, probably the biggest in Thailand, think they are untouchable!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toybits Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 The DSI Received Donations from the Dhammakaya Temple? Ha ha ha..... That would be the day.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seajae Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 receiving stolen funds is a crime anywhere else, seems that the good monks think they are above the law and can keep stolen money, This really shows the world exactly how despicable and corrupt the monks in Thailand have become, bugger their teachings as long as they can make sh*t loads of money for themselves. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harryfrompattaya Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Stop attacking the hard working smart great Abbot Once you just do not like all religions even the one you were born into Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halloween Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Stop attacking the hard working smart great Abbot Once you just do not like all religions even the one you were born into The religion I was born into? Quite an intolerant attitude (muslim even) with not a hint of freedom of choice. Doesn't freedom of religion include freedom from it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halloween Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I'm beginning to see some parallels with the soapie boy that bought a flash car. The only difference being is that they are selling "merit", and while that may be a scam, it is a legal scam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Lupatria Posted March 12, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted March 12, 2015 I wouldn't be surprised if the temple's financial team had some training at the Vatican with opus dei. 1st course: Fishy banking for intermediate and advanced 2nd course: Relationship building with members of "la familia" 3rd course: Professional handling of legal issues "Saul-Style" 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siampolee Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Temple's finance team aims to explain donations to DSI I have it on good authority that the explanation script was written in conjunction with The Brothers Grimm, Herr Goebbels and Lewis Carrol. Refreshments supplied by Timothy Francis Leary. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bung Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 (edited) Why does the abbot need a lawyer? They are just asking him some questions that seem to have simple answers. Money given-ok. Money found to be given illegally-give it back. Id love to hear some of the excuses given and see their leering half smiles of innocence. Edited March 12, 2015 by Bung Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robby nz Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Incidentally the photo with this article is not of someone from the temple finance team but of Dr Mano LaoHavanich who was once with the temple in a senior position but resigned, he was on the now disbanded committee. See the BKK Post, Dammakhaya controversy Interesting article as it appears he is now being threatened and fears for his life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilSA1 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I seem to recall Mother Teresa being informed that a million dollars donated to her cause had been given by Charles Keating from the Savings and Loans organization that he had swindled. Requests to return the funds to their rightful owners fell on deaf ears. I guess at least we can say in this case that someone has turned up to explain why they are not getting any money back. Perhaps the Thais need to borrow some Chinese expertise in these matters. Correct. " She accepted money from the British publisher Robert Maxwell, who, as was later revealed, embezzled UK£450 million from his employees' pension funds. There is no suggestion that she was aware of any theft before accepting the donation in either case. Criticism does focus on Teresa's plea for leniency in the Charles Keating case. Keating donated millions of dollars to Mother Teresa and lent her his private jet when she visited the United States. She refused to return the money, and praised Keating repeatedly." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beautifulthailand99 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Rumours have it Pra Dhammachayo is doing a runner and leaving Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robby nz Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Rumours have it Pra Dhammachayo is doing a runner and leaving Thailand. If he is then it is not that photo. I understand that photo is about 2 months old and was of a group who went to India to join the monkhood there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maidee Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 if you buy or sell stuff you know comes from ill gotten gains (stolen or whatever) than you are a ... not in the monks eyes, that should not want more & more belongings, gold, cash, .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beetlejuice Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 The said funds will be thrown into the air by the monks. What doesn`t come back down Buddha can keep. What does come down goes into our collection box. This is complete BS. The money is stolen and therefore cannot legally be donated or given away to anyone. The said monks are using a law that says; monks cannot be prosecuted for such crimes in order to protect them. In my opinion a perfect money laundering scheme, even if the monks involved are innocent and were unaware the money was stolen. These blessed God fearing people should do the right thing and return the funds to the rightful owners. Otherwise this whole so-called holy establishment loses credibility with me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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