A basement spanning three kilometres was discovered at Wat Phra Dhammakaya as officials carried out a thorough search of the temple -- but there was still no sign of former abbot Phra Dhammajayo.
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and police officers resumed their search at the temple yesterday at 8am with 16 teams sent to check the 130-rai Zone B and 2,000-rai Zone C of the 2,300-rai temple in Pathum Thani's Klong Luang district.
Behind the 60-year-old Bhavana building, officials found a vast basement under a fountain.
The basement is used as a wastewater treatment facility for the fountain, a DSI spokesman said.
Phra Dhammajayo is wanted for alleged forest encroachment by meditation centres and alleged money laundering and receiving stolen assets in connection with a multi-billion-baht embezzlement at Klongchan Credit Union Co-operative (KCUC). He has ignored several warnings to report to the DSI after the credit union scandal came to light.
The DSI said even though the search team failed to find the former abbot, an investigation will be carried out to apprehend him. The DSI also urged those who are aware of the monk's whereabouts to alert officials.
It said it found medical equipment including a hyperbaric chamber in the Daowadung building's room which was said to be where the 72-year-old former abbot received treatment for his ailments.
The building has been seized and cordoned off.
Speaking before the operation, DSI deputy spokesman Woranan Srilam said their intelligence suggested Phra Dhammajayo was still residing in the temple.
If the former abbot cannot be located, further investigations will be carried out to arrest him, Pol Maj Woranan said.
However, he said officials will need to assess their operation to determine flaws if the former monk is not found.
Phra Sanitwong Wutthiwangso, director of public relations at the temple, repeated the same message yesterday -- that he has not seen Phra Dhammajayo for some time. "I have not been in contact with him for a long time. Luang Phor has his own engagements," he said.
On Thursday, officials searched almost 200 rai of the 2,300 rai compound. The raid began after an order was issued under Section 44.
Pictures of what is said to be the room of Phra Dhammajayo have been posted on social media. The DSI deputy spokesman said officials had not verified the pictures, but would seize medical equipment in the room to find out when it was last used.
Outside the temple, about 200 followers were blocked from entering the temple, while about 1,000 remained inside.
The operation ended yesterday afternoon -- there was no trace of Phra Dhammajayo.
Col Winthai Suvaree, spokesman of the National Council for Peace and Order, said that the order invoked under Section 44 of the interim charter was not aimed at bullying the temple or damaging the religion as some have claimed.
This was a matter of individuals or a group of people who may have committed offences linked to the embezzlement-hit KCUC, which caused widespread damage to people, he said.
In any areas of Thailand where legal violations were reported, officials must be able to have access, he said.
"The officials' proceeding in this case will work in line with the judicial process," he said.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said he was uncertain whether Phra Dhammajayo is still in the country. The monk has ways to slip out of the country through natural borders, he said.
Army chief Chalermchai Sittisat said yesterday it could take one or two days to know whether the former abbot would be apprehended.
Justice Minister Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana said if Phra Dhammajayo is not found at the temple, this means he has fled, but the statute of limitations for his case still lasts for 15 years.
"The DSI must have answers for me, the government and society as to what happened and where Phra Dhammajayo has gone," Mr Suwaphan said.
