Fraud charges are being urged against the abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya for accepting a “donation” from the former chairman of the embezzlement-tainted Klongchan Credit Union Co-operative.
National Reform Council member Paibul Nititawan on Thursday urged the government and victimised members of the credit union to file fraud charges against Phra Dhammachayo, who accepted money from Supachai Srisupa-aksorn, a key suspect in the 12-billion-baht embezzlement scandal.
Mr Paibul alleged Mr Supachai had donated 120 million baht to Phra Dhammachayo and that the abbot could be held for conspiring in the fraud at the cooperative.
The 120 million baht donation was one of several made to the temple and its abbot totalling 714 million baht. Temple officials have agreed to return the funds.
The NRC's religious reform committee will meet with representatives from the Anti-Money Laundering Office and Department of Special Investigation on Monday to discuss the issue, said Mr Paibul, who sits on the committee.
The case of Wat Phra Dhammakaya prompted the committee to call for the correct teaching of Buddhist doctrines, seek transparency in monk and temple finances, and push for public participation in the management of temples, instead of giving abbots total discretion, Mr Paibul said.
The religious affairs committee yesterday demanded that Phra Dhammachayo be defrocked for distorting Buddhist doctrines and indicated it was reluctant to transfer 1,500 rai of land that was donated to him by followers.
Late supreme patriarch His Holiness Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara had written to the Supreme Sangha Council in 1999 suggesting Phra Dhammachayo be defrocked for the two infringements. The SSC acknowledged the recommendation but no further action was taken.
Phra Dhammachayo later agreed to turn over the land and public prosecutors withdrew a civil suit against him in August 2006.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Thursday that the National Office of Buddhism would move forward on the matter.
The communications office at Wat Phra Dhammakaya stated on Thursday that accusations about the abbot have "ended" and that the allegations resulted from misunderstanding.
The SSC previously was given correct information and understood it, the communications office added. Therefore, the SSC confirmed Phra Dhammachayo's position in late 2006 and promoted his rank in 2011, it said.
Critics of Wat Phra Dhammakaya criticised the temple for encouraging believers to increasing their donations to improve their next lives.
The temple dates back more than four decades and ranks as one of the largest in Thailand with thousands in its congregation of monks and lay people. It has many overseas branches and satellite-television stations and broadcasts in several languages. It is also regarded as the country's richest and most politically connected temple.