PATHUM THANI -- Four senior-most administrators, along with a kamnan and a village chief, of areas around Wat Phra Dhammakaya have been transferred to inactive posts at the order of the provincial governor.
The order affects the mayor of Tha Khlong Municipality, Thai Thongpan; Pakorn Thongprang, deputy mayor of Tha Khlong Municipality; Veerasak Hadda, president of Khlong Sam tambon administrative organisation (TAO); Turian Punpithak, a member of Khlong Sam TAO council; Sathaporn Masap, the kamnan of tambon Khlong Sam; and Veera Wongmangmee, chief of Moo 7 village of tambon Khlong Sam.
They have been shifted to temporary duty at the Institute of Administration Development in Thanyaburi district.
The order, effective immediately, was issued by Surachai Khan-asa, the Pathum Thani governor, in the wake of the ongoing operations by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to search for and arrest Phra Dhammajayo, the founder and former abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya in Khlong Luang district.
It follows an earlier order for Mr Thai, Mr Pakorn, Mr Veerasak and Mrs Turian to report to the provincial office by 10am on Wednesday.
The governor's order cited Order No 5/2560 the National Council for Peace and Order's Order No 5/2560 which declared Wat Phra Dhammakaya and the surrounds a controlled area to facilitate the search operation.
It said the four administrators were required to strictly comply with the NCPO's orders and obey additional instructions regarding this matter from the governor.
After the four reported to the provincial office on Wednesday, the governor issued the order shifting them to the Institute of Administration Development. Also included in order were the kamnan and a village chief of tambon Khlong Sam.