'Jet-set' monk arrives in Thailand after extradition from U.S.

[webfact]

'Jet-set' monk arrives in Thailand after extradition from U.S.

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A former Buddhist monk wanted on child sex charges arrived in Thailand's capital Bangkok late on Wednesday after being extradited from the United States where he had fled.

 

Wirapol Sukphol came to public attention in 2013 when a YouTube video appeared showing the then-monk on a private jet with a Louis Vuitton bag and wearing aviator sunglasses, behaviour deemed contrary to Buddhist teachings and a monk's vow to shun material goods.

 

Later that year, he was expelled from the monkhood after being accused of having sexual intercourse - a grave offence for monks - with an underage girl.

 

He then fled to the United States.

 

Millions of dollars in assets were uncovered in his name. 

 

Thailand's Department of Special Investigation eventually filed charges of child molestation, child abduction, public fraud, money laundering and computer crime against Wirapol.

 

His case is part of a series of scandals that have rocked Thailand's Buddhist clergy in recent years. Other examples include monks caught for dealing drugs and some who were defrocked for sexual relations with followers and other behaviour seen as immoral.

 

Concerned that Thai Buddhism is in decline, some have called for bold reforms of the country's religious institutions and their governing bodies.

 

The military government, which took power after a 2014 coup, this year introduced a bill that appears to significantly reduce the influence of Buddhism's supreme council.

 

Wirapol did not speak to the press on Wednesday after landing in Bangkok.

 

He was formally charged upon arrival in Thailand, prosecutors said, and will be questioned overnight.

 

(Reporting by Vorasit Satienlerk and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Toby Chopra)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-07-20

[Somtamnication]

Welcome back. You have a reservation at the Bangkok Hilton. Enjoy your stay.

[Chang_paarp]

Interesting that in photos seen elsewhere the accused is wearing monk's robes, I was under the impression  he was disrobed and as such not allowed to wear those robes. 

[Thaiwrath]

31 minutes ago, webfact said:

Wirapol did not speak to the press on Wednesday after landing in Bangkok.

 

No selfies this time.

I think he only takes them on private jets. 

[colinneil]

I must applaud the authorities for finally getting their act together, and getting this bum back here to face charges.

Well thats the first one, keep going theres more of them to apprehend, like Dhamachayo.

[SABloke]

Well, he didn't kill anybody so there's a good chance he might actually go to jail 

[RichardColeman]

Better get the magic amulet ready, or the KY.

[Emster23]

Hopefully he will have plenty of years to practice his meditation in a cell, just like a real monk.

[Lupatria]

2 hours ago, Chang_paarp said:

Interesting that in photos seen elsewhere the accused is wearing monk's robes, I was under the impression  he was disrobed and as such not allowed to wear those robes. 

I think the future will hold a couple more surprises in this case for you.

[Moti24]

He'll probably be out on bail tomorrow; TiT, stranger things have happened.

[webfact]

Here comes most awaited former monk

By THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The notorious monk "Nen Kham" or Wirphon Sukhon, arrived Bangkok last night after a US Court of Justice approved Thailand's extradition request.

He was escorted back from Los Angeles to Bangkok via Japan by officials from Department of Special Investigation and Office of Attorney General.

 

He was notified of three charges; money laundering, sexual harrassment against children and fraud upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

 

He still wore yellow robes and reports have said he would be defrocked to face charges.

 

Yesterday, it was reported that Thailand has tried to keep quiet the extradition of the notorious former monk out of concern that his followers in the United States could cause chaos to block the extradition process, officials have said.

 

Amnat Chotchai, director-general of the Office of the Attorney-General’s International Department, said at a press briefing on Wednesday that both the US and Thailand considered the issue to be sensitive, so all parties concerned had to act prudently.

 

Although a US court has approved the extradition, Amnat emphasised that care would have to be employed to ensure that the process to return Wiraphon to Thailand was problem-free.

 

At the time of the briefing, Thai officials had been sent to pick up Wiraphon and he had already boarded a flight from Los Angeles to Bangkok via Japan, Amnat said.

 

The former monk, who is wanted in Thailand on charges of sexual sexually harassing children, fraud, violation of the Computer Act and money laundering involving about Bt40 million, was scheduled to arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport at about 10pm on Wednesday, he said.

 

Wiraphon, 38, is the former head of Wat Pakhantitham forest monastery in Si Sa Ket province and, despite manifold controversies, he has been praised by his followers as a devout monk who helped to popularise the monastery. 

 

Before fleeing Thailand, the former monk was known for an extravagant lifestyle, including his use of brand-name products and travel by private jets, even though he was still in the monkhood. A video clip released in 2013 showed him travelling by personal jet, carrying a Louis Vuitton bag and wearing brand-name sunglasses. 

 

Another clip that showed a man who looked like Wiraphon having sex with a woman went viral on the Internet, although he maintained that the man depicted on the video was his brother. 

 

However, a woman claimed in a Si Sa Ket court that Wiraphon had fathered her child and said she was prepared to submit the child to a DNA test. 

 

As the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) sought to indict him, approximately Bt2 billion in his bank accounts and land and houses were seized pending trial. 

 

US authorities arrested the former monk on July 22 last year at the request of Thai authorities based on the aforementioned charges. Wiraphol was reportedly defrocked after his arrest and denied bail in the US. 

 

Amnat said a California court had subsequently approved Wiraphol’s extradition based on the request of the Thai Auditor-General on May 18, giving him two months until July 18 to appeal the ruling. 

 

US officials then contacted their Thai counterparts telling them to send a team to pick up Wiraphol before the deadline expired, adding that otherwise Wiraphol would be freed and his extradition could not be requested again. 

 

Apparently because of the sensitivity of the process, information about the extradition was only released to the public last week, leading many to assume that Wiraphol had until September to appeal. The issue was further confused when it was disclosed that the Auditor-General had sent a team of officers to the US amid questions why authorities had not waited until the September deadline.

 

Speaking at the same press briefing, Auditor-General spokesperson Somnuek Siengkong said his office did not have any information about Wiraphol’s health. “The US has told the Thai side to strictly treat Wiraphol according to human rights principles and dignity,” he said, adding that the former monk had rights according to the law including access to lawyers and relatives and medical treatment by doctors.

 

Amnat provided further details of the extradition process, saying Thai officials had collected the relevant evidence and documents and forwarded them to their US counterparts on November 30, 2015.

 

While declining to speculate broadly on Wiraphol’s decision not to appeal the extradition, Amnat said legal expenses were more expensive in the US than in Thailand.

 

He also defended against criticism that Thai authorities had been very slow in bringing the former monk back to the country, saying the process was very detailed and time consuming.

 

According to the extradition protocol, Wiraphol and Thai officials were expected to board flights first and exit last. As he was expected to arrive in Bangkok on Wednesday night, the DSI planned to arrest him and inform him of the charges against him. 

 

Officials at the press conference added that the Attorney-General had ordered officers to treat Wiraphol according to the law, protecting his rights in line with US standards.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30321209

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-07-20

[YetAnother]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

YouTube video appeared showing the then-monk on a private jet with a Louis Vuitton bag and wearing aviator sunglasses,

quite the fool; in addition to the crimes

[YetAnother]

3 minutes ago, webfact said:

both the US and Thailand considered the issue to be sensitive

foolishness, that part of this equation is Done; usa doesnt care a rat's ass about this; it is no longer any international issue; any thai that says this crap is either stupid or trying to promote something that is not there

[PatOngo]

He's looking pretty happy with himself, must be the thought of eating somtam again.

[NCC1701A]

for a guy that had millions he really did not plan his escape very well.

 

he should have bank accounts, stacks of cash, gold, passports in other names, and a list of countries he could live in.

 

all of that before getting photographed flying around in a private jet.

 

 

 

[AGareth2]

4 hours ago, Chang_paarp said:

Interesting that in photos seen elsewhere the accused is wearing monk's robes, I was under the impression  he was disrobed and as such not allowed to wear those robes. 

should also be charged with impersonating a monk

[petedk]

5 hours ago, Chang_paarp said:

Interesting that in photos seen elsewhere the accused is wearing monk's robes, I was under the impression  he was disrobed and as such not allowed to wear those robes. 

I am sure I read somewhere that he had been disrobed but:

 

Quote

He still wore yellow robes and reports have said he would be defrocked to face charges.

 

 

Sometimes I think authorities lie their heads off to save face.

He obviously hasn't been disrobed yet.

[KhunBENQ]

8 minutes ago, petedk said:

Sometimes I think authorities lie their heads off to save face.

He obviously hasn't been disrobed yet.

They haven taken care in the meantime.

(prachachat.net amd nationtv.tv)

 

 

The second picture is from this morning.

[nasanews]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

A former Buddhist monk wanted on child sex charges

This is one sick stupid fugitive. 

[sawadee1947]

First I admired the guy (not really) having grabbed a lot of money, buying some properties and having a good life. But that he seems to be soooo stupid I didn't expect. For that money what he supposed to hide somewhere he could have bought a wonderful EU passport from Malta or take advice from Thaksin how to deal with this junta.

But now I will see him in prison soon. Wonder if they will get his money.

[hotchilli]

Why no pics or finger pointing?

[webfact]

‘Luang Pu Nenkham’ agrees to disrobe, but refuses to chant monkhood-leaving prayer

By The Nation

 

 

Wiraphon Sukphon, better known as his monk’s alias of Luang Pu Nenkham, who has just been extradited from the US, has agreed to disrobe but refuses to chant the Pali phrase for monks to exit the monkhood, the chief of the Department of Special Investigation said on Thursday.

DSI chief Pol Col Phaisit Wongmuang said after Wiraphon was taken to the DSI head office, an official from the Office of the National Buddhsim read him the ruling of the Sangha Council that defrocked him in absentia.

 

Wiraphon said he knew nothing about the decision because he was abroad. 

 

He agreed to change into layman clothes but refused to chant the prayer for leaving the monkhood.

 

Phaisit also quoted the ex-monk as saying that it was his own decision not to appeal against a California court’s extradition ruling because he wanted to defend himself in a Thai court.

 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30321266

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-07-20

[williamgeorgeallen]

well that only took 4 years. impressive. he is not convicted and locked up yet of course.

[Ulic]

Looks like he has put on a few kg's. But then again so have I.

Welcome home, don't get too comfortable.

[anon789561]

"was his own decision not to appeal against a California court’s extradition ruling because he wanted to defend himself in a Thai court" The guys clearly nuts or . . . 

[DLang]

3 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

he should have bank accounts, stacks of cash, gold, passports in other names, and a list of countries he could live in.

Yup. A Formula 1 team to travel the World with, etc.

 

Would have done the trick. 

[klauskunkel]

looks like a nun now

[Sydebolle]

In the past such fellows got "defrocked" ........... 

[inThailand]

Yeah he doesn't look very worried.

 

He must have some large envelopes under that robe.

[Moti24]

1 hour ago, Sydebolle said:

In the past such fellows got "defrocked" ........... 

Allegedly, there are a few fellows in Nana that get defrocked every night, but I don't think they're monks.