DSI summons Dhammakaya monks

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has summoned the abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya — Phra Dhammachayo — and other monks from the temple for questioning.

The temple and the monks are accused of receiving more than 1 billion baht from suspects in the 12-billion-baht Klongchan Credit Union Co-operative embezzlement scandal, and will have to attend the DSI in person rather than sending lawyers.

The DSI issued the summons on Tuesday evening in response to prosecutors’ instructions, said Pol Col Paisit Wongmuang, deputy chief of the DSI, in his capacity as head of the team probing the Klongchan scandal.

Phra Dhammachayo and the other Wat Phra Dhammakaya monks named as recipients of cheques from the Klongchan scandal suspects will have to come to the DSI for questioning, said Pol Col Paisit.

The prosecutors want DSI investigators to expand their probe to look into 878 cheques worth 11.3 billion baht that were paid by the co-operative under former chairman Supachai Srisupa-aksorn, the key suspect in the scandal.

According to the DSI, Mr Supachai allegedly also withdrew about 1.9 billion baht in cash from the co-operative.

Of t he cheques, 15 worth more than 800 million baht were paid to Wat Phra Dhammakaya and the abbot Phra Dhammachayo.

A number of legal entities and companies that also received cheques between 2009 and 2012 from the Klongchan suspects will have to be questioned as well, he said.

The DSI team investigating the scandal has not yet managed to interrogate Phra Dhammachayo because the monk earlier sent lawyers to meet investigators on his behalf.

But this time the abbot will have no choice but to come in for questioning in person, he said.

Meanwhile, Paibul Nititawan, chairman of the National Reform Council (NRC) committee on reform and protection of Buddhist affairs, said the committee agreed on Tuesday that at least three rounds of public hearings will be organised to allow Buddhists and other concerned parties to give their opinions about proposed reforms it is debating. The first hearing will be held next Wednesday at parliament.

Asked about a threat by a group of monks to stage a symbolic movement on March 12 to pressure the government and NRC to dissolve the religious committee, which last month revived the embezzlement claims about the temple, Mr Paibul said they were afraid of losing benefits obtained by exploiting problems in the clergy. The groups are connected with Wat Phra Dhammakaya, Mr Paibul said.