PATHUM THANI - The monk of Wat Phra Dhammakaya who front-lines the information war with authorities has disappeared from public sight after his name was added to the "wanted" list.
"It's possible, but I haven't met him today," Phra Maha Tossaporn Punyangguro told reporters who asked on Friday if Phra Sanitwong Wuttiwangso would be meeting the media again.
The daily media session normally belonged to Phra Sanitwong, who is in charge of communications for the temple. The main duty of the spokesman is to argue the case for the temple and former abbot Phra Dhammajayo.
Phra Dhammajayo is wanted on money laundering and other charges in connection with the multi-billion-baht embezzlement of the Klongchan Credit Union Co-operative.
The Department of Special Investigation-led campaign to catch Phra Dhammajayo is far from over, with the current blockade and search of the temple in Khlong Luang district in Pathum Thani having begun on Feb 16 and so far failed to produce him.
Phra Sanitwong had repeatedly insisted he was unaware of the whereabouts of Phra Dhammayajo.
The DSI on Feb 19 ordered him to report to the agency for allegedly inciting public disorder, among other charges, but the monk continued his public relations campaign in public - until Friday. Another warning has been issued, asking him to come out to meet the DSI.
Deputy DSI director-general Pol Col Songsak Raksaksakul on Friday said an arrest warrant will be issued for Phra Sanitwong if the monk continues to shrug off the order to meet the officials.
Pol Col Krissana Pattahacharoen, the deputy police spokesman, said police will immediately arrest him if he is spotted.
Although Phra Sanitwong decided to hand over media briefings to another monk, the former Thammasat University student is still active on his Facebook account, Phra Sanitwong Charoenrattawong.
And for any reporters or officials who might be missing him, Phra Sanitwong was there on Friday, in essence. A drawing of him was prominently displayed at the monk's side during the media meeting on Friday.