Monk wins big in lottery | Bangkok Post: learning

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Lottery seller gang demands part of winnings to keep it a secret & "pushes him towards a woman" finally monk seeks help from media & government.

Phra Kru Sunthornsilawatra Kantlilo (L) and Songkran Atchariyasap (Photo from Post Today)

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Local News

Monk wins B54m lottery, blackmailed

27/11/201
Online Reporters

CHON BURI - A senior monk has called for help from the media, saying he won a total of 54 million baht in the lottery and has since been constantly harrassed, blackmailed even, by lottery sellers demanding a share of the winnings, reports said on Tuesday.

Phra Kru Sunthornsilawatra Kantlilo (real name Sanoh Kanmachand), the abbot of Wat Tapo Taram in Chon Buri's Sri Racha district, told reporters that a group of lottery sellers continually harassed him and demanded he share some of the money with them.

The 60-year-old monk said he eventually had to leave his temple and stay at a lawyer's home in Pathum Thani's Tanyaburi district .

Songkran Atchariyasap, chairman of the Facebook network against acts that destroy kingdom, religion and monarchy, said he received a complaint from Phra Kru Sunthornsilawatra, who claimed that the lottery sellers had tried many ways to force him to pay them. 

One lottery seller pushed Phra Kru Sunthornsilawatra towards a woman [monks are not allowed to touch women].

"Fortunately, the abbot was with other monks at the time, which was also captured on video," Mr Songkran said

He said some lottery sellers filed complaints with police, accusing the abbot of owing them millions of baht

Mr Songkran said he will take the abbot to a temple in Bangkok where he will stay for the time being for his own safety, and will take legal action against the people who tried to exploit him.

Phra Kru Sunthornsilawatra said that one lottery seller, whose name he did not disclose, rode his bike to the temple and begged him to buy his last three lottery tickets on Sept 1, 2011.

The abbot said he bought them because he sympathised with the vendor .

When the lottery results were announced, I found out that I'd won a total of 54 million baht of the first-prize money.

"Because I'm a monk, I didn't want this to spread out since it's not appropriate for monks to play the lottery," Phra Kru Sunthornsilawatra said.

The man who sold the winning tickets found out about his new fortune. He came to the temple and pressed him to give two million baht in exchange for him not telling anyone about the secret, the abbot said.

He said he agreed to give the two million baht to the man, who later brought in a banker in Sri Racha to help transfer the money into his account. He also had to pay 300,000 baht to the banker for his service.

Even after giving over the money, I was not not left in peace because this seller frequently asked me for more money, but I refused and this made him very angry.

"About 10 people led by the lottery seller came to the temple and took me to Sri Racha police station and they accused me of owing them several tens of thousands of baht to millions of baht," Phra Kru Sunthornsilawatra said.

He said he later found out all these accusers were also lottery sellers.

There was no way he could have owed these vendors such a large amount of money, and he knew they were making false accusations, he said

I've decided to file a complaint now because I can't take it anymore and the issue is getting out of hand when one lottery seller pushed me towards a woman.

I'm a senior monk who was going to be promoted in the area, but because of these people the district chief invited me in for questioning.

"I can't stay still because they won't stop, so I'm asking for help from the lawyer and the media," the abbot said

Mr Songkran said he suspected that a group of people including state officials was behind the blackmail.

"When these people learn about monks with lots of money they create awkward situations, because they know that monks can't retaliate and will pay them in the end," he said.

The Chon Buri Provincial Court will summon all parties for questioning in January next year, he added.

(Source: Bangkok Post, Local News, Monk wins B54m lottery, blackmailed, 27/11/2011, Online Reporters, link) 


Blackmail Vocabulary 

blackmail - to make people pay you money with threats (saying you will make public information about something that will embarass them, hurt them or put them in jail) การขู่ว่าจะเปิดโปงความลับ (See Wikipedia)

lottery - a game with tickets that people buy with a number on them, if the number is drawn they win money สลากกินแบ่ง, ล็อตเตอรี่
Monk wins B54m lottery, blackmailed

media - radio, television, newspaper, the Internet, considered as a group สื่อ
constantly - continuously; all the time อย่างต่อเนื่อง

share of the winnings - a part of the money won
demanding a share of the winnings

A senior monk has called for help from the media, saying he won a total of 54 million baht in the lottery and has since been constantly harrassed, blackmailed even, by lottery sellers demanding a share of the winnings, reports said on Tuesday.

abbot - the head monk at a temple เจ้าอาวาส
the abbot of Wat Tapo Taram in Chon Buri's Sri Racha district

eventually - at the end of a period of time or at the end of a process ในที่สุด
he eventually had to leave his temple and stay at a lawyer's home

network - a large system of connected parts, organisations, people, etc. เครือข่าย
acts - actions การกระทำ

monarchy - a type of government in which a country is ruled by a king or queen การปกครองที่มีพระมหากษัตริย์เป็นประมุข

chairman of the Facebook network against acts that destroy kingdom, religion and monarchy

complaint - when someone says that something is wrong or not satisfactory การร้องเรียน
he received a complaint from the monk

force - strong and violent action กำลัง ความรุนแรง
the lottery sellers had tried many ways to force him to pay them. 

captured on video - recorded on video, video was taken as the event happened
"Fortunately, the abbot was with other monks at the time, which was also captured on video," Mr Songkran said

filed - to take official action, e.g., to make a formal complaint ยื่นฟ้องร้อง
complaints - when people say there is something wrong and they want it changed

filed complaints with police
he said some lottery sellers filed complaints with police, accusing the abbot of owing them millions of baht

take legal action against - ask the police to bring a criminal case against the people or sue them for damage caused
exploit - to treat someone unfairly in order to get some benefit for yourself หาประโยชน์จาก เอาเปรียบ, หาประโยชน์ใส่ตัว  ตักตวงผลประโยชน์

he will take legal action against the people who tried to exploit him.

disclose - to give information to people, especially information that was secret เปิดเผย  เปิดเผยต่อสาธารณะ
one lottery seller, whose name he did not disclose

sympathised - feel the same difficulties, pain and suffering that another person is feeling
vendor - a person who sells something พ่อค้า, แม่ค้า
The abbot said he bought them because he sympathised with the vendor .

results - what is produced in the end by an activity or task
When the lottery results were announced, I found out that I'd won a total of 54 million baht of the first-prize money.

spread - to gradually affect or cover a larger area แพร่หลาย, แพร่กระจาย
"Because I'm a monk, I didn't want this to spread out since it's not appropriate for monks to play the lottery," Phra Kru Sunthornsilawatra said.

fortune - riches, a lot of money
The man who sold the winning tickets founds out about his new fortune

pressed - tried in a determined way to achieve something กดดัน
he  pressed him to give two million baht in exchange for him not telling anyone about the secret

transfer - to official arrange for someone else to be the owner of something โอน
transfer money into bank account 

not left in peace - annoyed, bothered, people did things to them they did not like
Even after giving over the money, I was not left in peace because this seller frequently asked me for more money

accusers - people who say that another person did something wrong
he said he later found out all these accusers were also lottery sellers.

vendors - people who sell things, e.g., food or newspapers, usually outside on the street พ่อค้าแม่่ค้าหาบแร่แผงลอย
there was no way he could have owed these vendors such a large amount of money,

accusations - bad things that others say that you have done (but not yet proven)
they were making false accusations

issue - a subject that people discuss or argue about ประเด็น
getting out of hand - out of control, people cannot control the situation anymore

file a complaint - to take official action, in this case, to make an official complaint ยื่นคำร้อง

I've decided to file a complaint now because I can't take it anymore and the issue is getting out of hand when one lottery seller pushed me towards a woman

promoted - given a high position in an organization
I'm a senior monk who was going to be promoted

state - government รัฐ
state officials

suspected - thought to be something เป็นที่สงสัย
he suspected that a group of people including state officials was behind the blackmail


awkward - difficult to deal with; causing problems กระอักกระอ่วน
retaliate - to do something harmful or unpleasant to someone because they have done something harmful or unpleasant to you แก้แค้น ตอบโต้

"When these people learn about monks with lots of money they create awkward situations, because they know that monks can't retaliate and will pay them in the end," he said.

summon - to officially order someone to come to a place ออกหนังสือเรียกตัว
parties - people or companies entering into a business arrangement or deal
summon all parties for questioning

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