Dhammakaya temple deploys maximum security to protect its abbot

[webfact]

Dhammakaya temple deploys maximum security to protect its abbot



BANGKOK: -- The Dhammakaya temple in Klong Luang district of Pathum Thani province in Bangkok's eastern outskirt deployed maximum security with hundreds of the abbot's followers and monks setting up checkpoints and all entries closed in what was an attempt to protect their abbot and prevent authorities from trying to arrest him.

All vehicles entering the temple were all checked to prevent outsiders, particularly media representatives are banned.

Only media representatives with the temple’s permit tags will be allowed in.

The main entrance to the temple was blocked with a caterpillar last night as they feared the authorities from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) would storm in to arrest the abbot after he again ignored the DSI’s ultimatum to give himself in to face three charges imposed on him for his alleged involvement in the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperatives’ fund fraud.

The chairman of this community financing firm is now in Bang Kwang maximum security prison after he was found by the DSI to cheat the fund which is the money of mostly pensioners who have retired from state jobs, and placed their last sum of money to get dividend which is higher than bank interests.

The chairman gave several cheques amounted to over a billion baht to the abbot. Money from cheques were those from the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperatives’ fund.

The DSI held a meeting last night after the abbot, Phra Dhammachayo, refused to turn himself in to the police at Klong Luang police station as his lawyer has promised the DSI that he would give up at the station, instead of DSI headquarters in Bangkok, at 2 pm.

DSI authorities waited for the abbot at Klong Luang police station throughout the day and until late last night but without his appearance.

His follower and the temple spokesman later came out last night to say the abbot succumbed to his sickness and fainted while he was about to board a van to take him to the police station to surrender.

He was so sick that he could not go to the station, his lawyer said.

The DSI met last night after the abbot ignored the arrest warrant which have him until late last night to give up.

After the meeting, the DSI agreed to seek warrant from the court today to search the temple for the abbot.

They agreed not to storm in by force as that could trigger confrontation with his followers.

Besides it is the temple where all people respect, the use of force is unnecessary and inappropriate, a DSI officer said.

They will seek court’s warrant to enter the temple peacefully, said a DSI officer at a press conference last night.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/164994


-- Thai PBS 2016-05-27

[colinneil]

This is a temple, supposed to be a place of worship.

Why are they trying to protect a man who has fled already?

It is an absolute disgrace. Buddists supposedly peace loving people.

Bunch of hypocrites that is what they are.

[dominique355]

After the Red Shirts, after the Yellow Shirts do we now have the Saffron Shirts to openly challenge the legal order?

Edited May 27, 2016 by dominique355

[Bung]

Careful now! Don't upset him by arresting him, he may faint again!

Seems he's running out of options so the dsi will give him a chance to escape the country with his stolen money. The can't give him any more chance can they?

What a joke.

[NongKhaiKid]

How long is the big, rough, tough, soldier boy of a PM going to allow this fiasco to continue ?

The monk is making a fool of govt agencies and being allowed to do so but i suppose it's easier dragging in students etc for AA and threatening critics with 10 years in jail because they're all easier to handle.

Great leadership, again !

[Fookhaht]

When push comes to shove...

[rkidlad]

All of his followers will definitely be rich, famous and powerful in their next lives now. Well done! You will be rewarded with everything that Buddhism tells us is bad and irrelevant.

[Briggsy]

Wat Dhammakaya has had a strong following amongst Bangkok, often Sino-Thai, middle class adherents for many years. The authorities are unwilling to pick a conflict with this powerful and connected constituency.

Edited May 27, 2016 by Briggsy

[canuckamuck]

Seems like an admission of guilt to me.

[Fookhaht]

Too late. Escaped already. The wily abbott is always one step ahead of his hounds...

Edited May 27, 2016 by Fookhaht

[sjjmmi]

Think he left in his space ship already

[thesetat2013]

Doesn't Thailand have an obstruction of justice charge? If so, they should just get the armies help and go start at the entrance and arrest every person who gets in there way. Working there way to this guy until there is none left to stop them. They also should provide arrest warrants for the company which supplied the caterpillar to block the entrance. Maybe start there at that company until they provide the keys to move it out of the way. This guy has made himself a stronghold there and is surly threat to the nation of allow them to stay. Buddhist or not it is wrong for them to protect and hide this man from justice. If he is innocent he has nothing to fear and if he was really a Buddhist he would not allow putting others at risk to protect him

[nikmar]

There is more Buddhism in my little toe nail than in that temple.

[leeneeds]

A SEIGE

Lay Siege to,

under Seige.

Besiege.

now who will pull up their britches ,

inflate their chest , march forth with

and become the

Besieger

Are you sitting comfortably,

The pantomime, play ,

part 4,

is about to begin.

[Caveat Emptor]

How long is the big, rough, tough, soldier boy of a PM going to allow this fiasco to continue ?

The monk is making a fool of govt agencies and being allowed to do so but i suppose it's easier dragging in students etc for AA and threatening critics with 10 years in jail because they're all easier to handle.

Great leadership, again !

Indeed, micro-manage everything providing it's a relatively simple issue.

The current situation is ridiculous and should be an embarrassment for the country and it seems the PM. and others, are MIA.

[z42]

What's the problem here, DSI have actually done nothing wrong apart from make themselves look stupid and weak. Go in and arrest him, and drag in some heavily armed support to lift any others who try to obstruct. It is clear that he is guilty as sin. It is also abundantly clear that these people are not real Buddhists.

Seriously someone in the DSI needs to get a grip on reality. Bail should not even be an option after this fiasco

[than]

It is time to stop this comedy and to proceed to the arrest of the leader of this sect

[Winniedapu]

This is well-known as a redshirt-supporting or affiliated temple. they are doing the smart thing for them, because many people would abandon their kids before they would abandon their beliefs.

What needs to happen next is the Abbot needs to announce that the DSI are victimising them because of their political affiliations. See if they can mobilise the redshirts. Light blue touch paper and retire...

W

[MorristheRunt]

​Thank god I am an athiest

[kartman]

What's the problem here, DSI have actually done nothing wrong apart from make themselves look stupid and weak. Go in and arrest him, and drag in some heavily armed support to lift any others who try to obstruct. It is clear that he is guilty as sin. It is also abundantly clear that these people are not real Buddhists.

Seriously someone in the DSI needs to get a grip on reality. Bail should not even be an option after this fiasco

They don't want to die i'm sure the DSI will give you a temporary badge if your willing to do it.

[silent]

Seems like an admission of guilt to me.

Who's? The convicted embezzler with a sentence already halved for a guilty plea and recently came out with "crucial evidence" of an incriminating relationship that contradicts the co-accused abbot that it was so close they had secret nicknames for each other.

I'd be having more than panic attacks.

[JAG]

"The main entrance to the temple was blocked with a caterpillar last night..."

It must have been a "VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR" indeed if it was big enough to block the entrance!

☺

[JAG]

Wat Dhammakaya has had a strong following amongst Bangkok, often Sino-Thai, middle class adherents for many years. The authorities are unwilling to pick a conflict with this powerful and connected constituency.

This is well-known as a redshirt-supporting or affiliated temple. they are doing the smart thing for them, because many people would abandon their kids before they would abandon their beliefs.

What needs to happen next is the Abbot needs to announce that the DSI are victimising them because of their political affiliations. See if they can mobilise the redshirts. Light blue touch paper and retire...

W

One or the other perhaps, but both are shall we say - mutually exclusive?

[Winniedapu]

Wat Dhammakaya has had a strong following amongst Bangkok, often Sino-Thai, middle class adherents for many years. The authorities are unwilling to pick a conflict with this powerful and connected constituency.

This is well-known as a redshirt-supporting or affiliated temple. they are doing the smart thing for them, because many people would abandon their kids before they would abandon their beliefs.

What needs to happen next is the Abbot needs to announce that the DSI are victimising them because of their political affiliations. See if they can mobilise the redshirts. Light blue touch paper and retire...

W

One or the other perhaps, but both are shall we say - mutually exclusive?

True.

My money's on me

W

[simon43]

This is well-known as a redshirt-supporting or affiliated temple

That is not my understanding. The vast majority of temple supporters are middle class and hi-so Thais, who belief that throwing as much money as possible to this corrupt sect will bring them merit.

If some poor redshirt from Issan tried to enter the temple, they would be kicked out.

[gandalf12]

It says a lot about the people and systems. Arrest the civilians for trying to pervert the course of justice and the monks should be expelled from the Sangha then arrested on the same charge

[tuanku]

The Dhammakaya becomes more and more cult like in their reactions.

Remember the Waco siege?

That was ended by a massive show of force by the FBI supported by tanks and military equipment.

Custom made job for Prayuth's armed forces, after all if you can't win against peace loving Buddhists and monks, who can you win against? Students? Primary school children?

[angmo]

My guess is that if they were red shirt oriented this would have been over long ago

[MZurf]

This is well-known as a redshirt-supporting or affiliated temple

That is not my understanding. The vast majority of temple supporters are middle class and hi-so Thais, who belief that throwing as much money as possible to this corrupt sect will bring them merit.

If some poor redshirt from Issan tried to enter the temple, they would be kicked out.

That's also what I hear. My lawyer (and she is definitively not a red shirt) is a staunch supporter and has given away mind boggling amounts of money to them already. Apparently it's a favorite among the hi-so and a money maker of epic proportions.

[nikmar]

This is well-known as a redshirt-supporting or affiliated temple

That is not my understanding. The vast majority of temple supporters are middle class and hi-so Thais, who belief that throwing as much money as possible to this corrupt sect will bring them merit.

If some poor redshirt from Issan tried to enter the temple, they would be kicked out.

I believe that Thaksin affiliated himself with this monk, though Im not 100 percent on that. This is according to my wife who hates anything red.