Controversial Thai Monk Faces Fresh Corruption Charges

27 April 2002

by Daranee Duangmanee

The former abbot of Thailand's Dhammakaya Temple, Dhammachayo faced charges of embezzling 96.8 million baht (US Dollar = 43.3 Thai Baht) from the temple to buy jewellery and finance his private trips abroad. Crime Suppression Division (CSD) commander Police Major-General Surasit Sangkhapong said Dhammachayo had signed 33 cheques to draw the money from the temple's account from July 7, 1992 to January 30, 1998. The cheques were valued at between 500,000 baht and 5 million baht. The money was transferred into accounts, in several banks, of Kamolsiri Klisuwan, a female follower of his, Surasit said.

Investigators found that Dhammachayo's aide, Maiyarit Pitawanik, had handled the money transfers for the monk on several occasions. Investigators also found that Kamolsiri had also transferred the money to several other people and that none was used for the temple's affairs, but for their private business, including buying jewellery and financing private foreign trips. Kamolsiri transferred 20 million baht to her former husband in Hanoi for use in a jewellery trading business there, Surasit said.

The CSD on April 25, 2002 sought arrest warrants against Dhammachayo, Maiyarit and Kamolsiri, but the Interior Ministry approved only the arrest warrant for Kamolsiri and approved a summons order for the monk and Maiyarit. Thaweesin Sasom, an inspector-general with the Interior Ministry, reasoned that the monk and Maiyarit were at the temple, and because they did not try to flee there was no need to issue a warrant for their arrest. Also, there was a better chance that senior interior ministry officials could get handsome bribes in return.

He said Kamolsiri had refused to meet investigators after being summoned several times, so police could now arrest her on sight.

Police said the case, involving 96.8 million baht in embezzled funds, would be the last case related to the controversial Dhammakaya Temple. They earlier launched two other cases against Dhammachayo and his key followers. In the first, Dhammachayo and some followers were accused of embezzling 37 million baht from the temple to buy land in Phetchabun and Phichit. The monk was currently defending himself in court, but because of the huge bribes he was paying the case was effectively being delayed indefinitely and quite obfuscated.

In the second case, Dhammachayo was accused of embezzling 845.5 million baht from the temple and giving it to Sangob Panyatrong, another female follower, for use in private businesses. Public prosecutors asked police to conduct further investigation into the temple funds.

Lawyer for the Dhammakaya Temple, Sonthaya Phodaeng, said that police had overreacted in seeking Dhammachayo's arrest as the monk was prepared to fight the case and had no intention of escaping. He said he suspected there was "a hidden agenda" in the police move, particularly ahead of the forthcoming censure debate against the government.

Comments in the street by ordinary Thais revealed an obvious puplic disaffection for Thailand's institutions given that even monks were being unmasked to be as corrupt as the country's economic and political elite elite. But would anybody really surprized ? The whole Dharmakaya thing was bogus from the beginning. Only morons would believe they could buy a wealthy future life - the Abbot was going for this lifetime !

"96 million embezzled and no need to arrest - heh heh heh ... and he has the same conspiracy story as Thaksin!" commented one woman.

"Sangob got 845 million ? That girl really must know how to Monkey around. Since we've been in Thailand all we hear is how clever these monks are at getting money - and how stupid they are about the cost of getting laid ! They are un-worldly (meaning unbelievable), " observed a foreigner.

These big Thai crooks are all the same, aren't they ? Are there rules about the silliness they should spout when caught ? Remenber Yantra ?