Wirapol ‘will return to face law next year’
Defrocked monk Wirapol Sukphol is likely to return to Thailand to surrender on fraud and sex charges next year, his supporters say.
Meanwhile, investigators are denying reports they attempted to mount a raid on a Laos temple to secure the fugitive’s arrest.
The president of Baan Wimutti Dharma Network, Sukhum Wongprasit, who is a supporter of Mr Wirapol, said the former monk had told him he would return next year to fight the charges.
Investigators from the Department of Special Investigation would travel to the United States late this month to seek his extradition, he said.
The DSI has laid a handful of charges against Mr Wirapol, including false advertising, sex with a minor, tax evasion, drug taking, making false claims about receiving a doctorate degree, manslaughter, money laundering and making false claims about possessing supernatural powers.
Mr Wirapol, formerly known as Luang Pu Nen Kham, had earlier offered to return to Thailand. He failed to show up claiming he was ill and needed treatment overseas.
DSI chief Tarit Pengdith said Mr Wirapol’s lawyer, Sukij Poonsrikasem, had contacted him last month with the surrender offer.
Mr Sukij had told him Mr Wirapol was in Laos and was ready to enter Thailand through the Nong Khai border checkpoint. However, he failed to show up at the time agreed.
Meanwhile, the DSI is denying reports it raided a temple in Laos to arrest Mr Wirapol.
Reports in the Thai media last week said Thai authorities went to Wat Pa Prabat Phukao Kwai in Vientiane after hearing the former monk was hiding out there.
The reports said the Thai team went to the temple with an arrest warrant. They sealed the temple and were about to raid it but found Laos authorities would not let them enter the area.
A helicopter appeared above the temple area and spirited Mr Wirapol and five monks away, according to the reports.
The chief of the Information and Security Crime Analysis Centre at the DSI, Aungsugae Wisutwattanasak, said the reports of the raid were a fabrication.
‘‘That sounds like a scene from some movie.
‘‘The DSI can’t just mount a raid in another country. We would have to ask for help from local authorities to conduct such an operation,’’ he said.
Mr Aungsugae said he knew where Mr Wirapol was hiding, but cannot name the place as it will affect the investigation.
The fugitive’s supporter, Mr Sukhum, said he and other followers of Mr Wirapol had planned a birthday party for him at a temple in Ubon Racthani province last week.
‘‘But with all the negative news about him, we don’t want the police to think that we are challenging them. So we held a small ceremony at his parent’s house instead,’’ Mr Sukhum said.