Wirapol Sukphol, the former monk known as Nen Kham, denied all charges against him when he appeared in the Criminal Court yesterday, as the Civil Court ordered the transfer of the suspect's and his associates' assets worth 43 million baht back to the state.
Wirapol Sukphol, the former monk known as Nen Kham, is escorted to be handed over to prosecutors for indictment, after he was brought back to Thailand on Wednesday night. PATTARAPONG CHATPATTARASILL
Mr Wirapol, a former jet-setting monk known for his luxury lifestyle while still in saffron robes, was brought back to Thailand by a team of prosecutors and Department of Special Investigation (DSI) officials on Wednesday night after being extradited from the US.
Upon his arrival, the ex-monk was whisked to DSI headquarters for processing and interrogation before he was sent to Bangkok Remand Prison.
The former abbot of Khantitham forest monastery in Kanthararom district of Si Sa Ket province faces charges of child sex and embezzlement, according to the DSI.
"He denied all charges and said he would fight the case in court, which is his right,'' said DSI director-general Pol Col Paisit Wongmuang after meeting Mr Wirapol's lawyers.
At any rate, the Civil Court yesterday ruled to transfer assets held by Mr Wirapol and his associates worth 43 million baht back to the state because he could not explain the source of the assets.
The court said it is believed 27 items of his assets including land, buildings, a Porsche, motorcycles and other items came from public donations. That was tantamount to a violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, and the items should belong to the state, he said.
Mr Wirapol and the others affected by the asset transfer can appeal within 30 days, said court officials.
Although Mr Wirapol earlier refused to defrock and thus leave the monkhood, he was wearing a white T-shirt and white trousers to the Criminal Court when he turned up to hear the charges against him yesterday.
The Office of the Attorney-General spokesman Lt Somnuek Siangkong said Mr Wirapol faced two counts of child sex charges consisting of abduction of a child under 15 and having sex with a girl under 15, which is subject to terms of 4-20 years in jail and 5-20 years' imprisonment respectively.
However, the statute of limitations for the child molestation charge against him expired last year. It spanned 15 years from the day of the alleged offences, which are said to have taken place between 2000-2001.
The second charge is fraud in which he faced five counts consisting of violations to the Computer Crime Act, embezzlement of public money and money laundering. The first two are subject to a penalty of five years in jail and the third to a term of one to 10 years.
Mr Wirapol was accused of embezzling public donations that he raised between 2009 to 2013 by deceiving people that the donations would go to the construction of the world's biggest emerald Buddha statue. He also opened a website to receive donations to his account. The Buddha statue project never went ahead.
At least 29 victims donated a combined 28.649 million baht for the statue, according to Lt Somnuek. The prosecutors have asked the court to order Mr Wirapol to return the money.
The prosecutors also recommended the court deny bail because Mr Wirapol has a history of trying to evade justice.
Phanu Suvallee, one of Mr Wirapol's lawyers, said he talked to his client on Wednesday night and he showed no signs of stress or worry.
"We will ask Mr Wirapol more about the details of the charges and witness evidence to fight the case," said Mr Phanu.
Mr Wirapol, whose monastic name is Luang Pu Nen Kham Chattiko, fled the country for the US in 2013 after a scandal about his inappropriate behaviour broke out.
He was called the "jetting-set monk" after a YouTube video appeared showing him in saffron robes and sunglasses and counting a wad of money. He was sent back under the extradition agreement between the two countries after he was arrested in July last year.
He was wearing Buddhist robes upon his arrival in the country on Wednesday, despite having been dismissed from the clergy.
Pol Col Paisit said Mr Wirapol claimed he was not aware that the National Office of Buddhism had required him to defrock.
He added Mr Wirapol did not appeal against the extradition request because he wanted to come back to fight the charges under the law.