Thai Prime Minister urges ‘corrupt’ Buddhist monk to surrender
Monks gather to meditate at the Wat Phra Dhammakaya temple as the DSI attempt to arrest its abbot. Pic: Twitter/Pui Pim-ampai
CALLING for an end to a standoff between authorities Buddhist monks of the expansive Dhammakaya Temple in Bangkok, Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has urged its scandal-ridden abbot to surrender peacefully.
The 72-year-old abbot, Phra Dhammachayo, is wanted on corruption allegations but is currently being “shielded” by followers at the Pathum Thani temple. Prayuth said the authorities were holding back to avoid a potential clash.
On Thursday, the Department of Special Investigation attempted to apprehend the influential monk, but failed as thousands of disciples blocked the temple’s entrances using vehicles such as backhoes.
“[Officials were] unable to arrest [the monk] because people acted as human shields. Is this proper? If [the person] doesn’t do anything wrong and is innocent, he should surrender, that’s the end of it,” Prayuth said on Saturday, as quoted by The Nation.
However, Prayuth said the authorities would remain persistent in making the arrest.
According to The Nation, the abbott faces legal action on a string of allegations, including the embezzlement of billions of baht from the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative.
The abbot has repeatedly failed to appear before investigators when ordered, leading to the issue of an arrest warrant. He cited poor health as his reason for not appearing in court.
Phra Dhammajayo has been charged with money-laundering and receiving stolen property, reports the Bangkok Post, but his followers have claimed the case is a conspiracy to besmirch the temple’s reputation.
His followers also claim the allegations were politically motivated.
Phra Dhammachayo and his foundation is accused of receiving more than Bt1.4 billion (US$39.7 million) in cheques from Supachai Srisupa-aksorn, a former chief of the cooperative. Supachai is now serving a jail term in a related embezzlement case.
Thailand’s Immigration Bureau has also blocked the abbott from leaving the country.
