Udon Thani abbot denies graft link

UDON THANI: The abbot of a temple in Udon Thani, among seven temples targeted in the third and latest round of temple fund embezzlement probes, has denied any involvement in the alleged wrongdoing.

Phra Sophon Phutthithada, abbot of Wat Sri Nakhararam in Udon Thani’s Kumphawapi district, yesterday said police from the Counter Corruption Division (CCD) had questioned him about a fund of about 10 million baht which was allocated by the National Office of Buddhism (NOB) about 5-6 years ago, and projects the money was spent on.

The monk, who also serves as Udon Thani’s deputy chief monk, said that after the money was transferred to the temple, he called a meeting of a committee overseeing the temple’s religious school and the participants agreed the fund should be returned to the NOB because the temple had no plans for construction projects at the time.

“A few days later, I withdrew the 10 million baht from the bank and had a driver take me to Bangkok to return the money to the NOB,” the monk said.

He said that CCD police also questioned four members of the religious school committee and examined the temple’s financial documentation and found nothing suspicious.

The abbot said he was not worried that the temple was implicated in the scandal because the anti-graft police indicated the temple would be treated as a witness in the probe.

Apart from the temple in Udon Thani, the other temples targeted are three in Nonthaburi, two in Nakhon Si Thammarat, and another in Lampang.

These seven temples are part of the third crackdown on the embezzlement of temple funds. They are suspected of siphoning money allocated for Buddhism schools.

Last Thursday, Pongporn Phramsane, the NOB’s chief, filed a complaint with police against three temples in Bangkok. According to an informed source, police forwarded these cases to the National AntiCorruption Commission on Monday.

Since last year, the CCD has also forwarded 12 cases from two previous rounds of probes into several temples in upcountry provinces.

The scandal, in which fraud involving millions of baht has been uncovered, allegedly involves state officials, civilians and monks. The temples are accused of taking part in what is called a “change money” scheme.

This is when state officials grant fund money to the temples but in return ask them to return part of that money to their private accounts.

Five senior monks at three temples in Bangkok have been implicated in this latest crackdown. Three of them sit on the Sangha Council, the monastic governing body.