Dhammachayo asked to surrender on May 26 or face light to heavy-handed action



BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has given Phra Dhammachayo, the abbot of Wat Dhammakaya, until May 26 to report and acknowledge charges against him or face "light to heavy-handed" legal action.

The decision on light to heavy-handed legal action came after the DSI investigators met yesterday to discuss what actions should be taken if the notorious abbot remains defiant to arrest warrant issued by the Ratchada Criminal Court after ignoring two warrants to report to the DSI for acknowledgement of three charges.

After the meeting, DSI director-general Pol Col Paisit Wongmuang said the DSI will send a letter to Phra Dhammachayo advising him to surrender on May 26.

If the abbot complies, the investigators will consider granting him temporary release on bail.

If he doesn’t respond, they will take legal action against him, he said.

The DSI chief said DSI authorities will take step by step legal action, from light to heavy-handed, as necessary.

He said he would not send authorities to arrest him under the arrest warrant because the DSI does not want a confrontation with his disciples.

According to Bangkok Post, DSI has given him some time to enter the judicial process. But if the monk again doesn’t come, the DSI will hold a meeting to determine steps to be taken.

On Tuesday, the Criminal Court approved the warrant for the arrest of Phra Dhammachayo of charges involved in money laundering, receiving stolen property worth 1.2 billion baht in connection with the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative embezzlement case, and embezzlement.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/163874


-- Thai PBS 2016-05-19

Guess what date is going to be his next medical appointment.

Light to heavy handed action or none at all.

Your request for another postponement has been met with a favourable response.

I had always thought that Buddha had taught his disciplines that the hub on the wheel of existence is Karma...

This could go on indefinitely, really. Yawn.

for Christ sake arrest the man, he's only being brought in to hear charges and will likely be released

why is this circus dragging on and on and on and on

The people that lost their savings deserve justice not this pure nonsense

Once again ASKED to surrender yet they have an arrest warrant !

Why are we surprised at anything that happens in the so called legal system ?

They still don't get it

Letter,what letter,I never received a letter,.......send another one.

regards Worgeordie

I asked my wife, if he plans on turning himself in and she said she doesn't think he will because he's guilty. The question is when he will be defrocked?

The abbots lawyers presented a document which they professed was from a army hospital /doctor which said he was too ill to travel. I guess the 100 kilometer from his temple ? to the facilities/ hospital where this doctor is based is not considered (too far to ) travel due to fairly short distence. The more I hear about this rascal the more worldly knowledgeable he seems to become. I would venture he is knowledgeable about banking in foreign countries, commission charge to handle illegal funds, short time, name brand items for personal use and consumption, etc.

Seems we are hearing about a lot of monks who have taken up the life of excess so enjoyed by those corrupt morally, who inhabit this old world. Not too many will be left to look to for moral guidence and leadership at the rate its going. From my observations the young novice monks as well as many older members of the temple membership ? are tending to follow a path where enlightenment is not the objective nor end result.

If they have an arrest warrant why are they giving him another week to turn himself in?

...was it yesterday ? that they announced they would arrest him....???

...like some posters suggest....'being given more and more time'....

...hmmm.....

100% pussies - go in with the handcuffs now!

If they have an arrest warrant why are they giving him another week to turn himself in?

Yes that's the question and one that someone like the Interior Minister, AG etc should be asking the head of the DSI, so how far up the ladder does the soft pedaling extend ? This is a very senior monk who is probably well connected which can also translate as protected.

At least they didn't add "Pretty please with sugar on top". Just roll in during middle of the night and drag his sorry backside off to the slammer. He can teach the darma to inmates. If he knows any of it.

I had always thought that Buddha had taught his disciplines that the hub on the wheel of existence is Karma...

In Dhammachayo's case Karma is neither virtuous or untainted. But it should give the Lord of Death a good laugh.

If it were you, i or just the average Thai we would have been arrested long ago.