Thailand's Corrupt Former Buddhist Abbot Turns Up to Hear Charges

31 May 2002

by Daranee Duangmanee

Thailand's corrupt Buddhist monk, Phra Dhammachayo, former abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, reported to Crime Suppression Division police on May 3, 2002 to hear charges of embezzlement and malfeasance. The controversial monk, accompanied by Phra Thattacheevo, the acting abbot, and fellow monks, arrived at the CSD headquarters at 1.30 pm. He was immediately taken into an investigation room, accompanied by his lawyer Sonthaya Podaeng. Mr Sonthaya said the monk denied all charges and would give testimony in court. The lawyer placed title papers to land in Min Buri worth 50-60 million baht as surety for bail. Two of the monk's followers signed as guarantors. Police approved bail because the surety exceeded the five million baht set by authorities and there was no reason to believe Phra Dhammachayo would flee the country. The monk and his followers left after one hour of questioning.

CSD chief Surasit Sangkhapong ordered 50 police commandos to be on hand for the monk's surrender on May 3. About 120 monks and 1,000 laymen arrived at the CSD to give support to the corrupt former abbot. Pol Lt-Gen Chat Kulladilok, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, said a man and a woman also implicated in the embezzlement, Maiyarit Pitavanit and Kamolsiri Khleesuwan, surrendered the following day.

Phra Dhammachayo was removed as the abbot of Wat Dhammakaya following police inquiries into his role in the embezzlement of over 90 million baht in temple funds. The May 3 police arraignment was not his first and was unlikely to be his last either as Lt-General Chaj Kulladilok, CSD commissioner, said Dhammachayo was also implicated in two more unfinished investigations into missing temple funds.

"One of them relates to 220 million baht (US$1 = 43 baht) of temple funds. The money is suspected of being diverted to buy land," Chaj said.

Lawyer Sonthaya Bodhidaeng said his client Dhammachayo denied any wrongdoing and declined to be questioned by police, preferring to testify in court. Dhammachayo was accused of bilking the temple for personal gain, including financing purchases of jewellery and private trips abroad.

Detectives were still probing the case and evidence would likely incriminate more people, Chaj said. After interrogating Maiyarit and Kamolsiri, investigators convened another meeting to review the case, he added. Dhammachayo was already standing trial on related charges of misappropriating huge sums of money from Dhammakaya Temple, one of country's best-endowed places of worship, patronised by many powerful and wealthy figures. In fact he was running a huge scam based on religion.