The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) plans to question Phra Dhammachayo, the abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, next Tuesday in relation to the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative embezzlement case.
DSI director of special crime Somboon Sarasit and the DSI chief investigator in the case, Pakorn Sucheewakul, on Friday confirmed the DSI would question Phra Dhammachayo, two monks from the temple, and the owner of a company found to have received money from the credit union cooperative.
Questioning of Phra Dhammachayo is set to start at 10am on Tuesday. Phra Khru Palad Wijan Theerangkuro has been summonsed to appear for questioning at 10am on Monday, Phra Montree Sutapaso at 10am on Wednesday next week and Sathaporn Watanasirinukul, owner of SW Holding Group, at 2pm next Friday.
They are key people in the case who received money from the cooperative.
Pol Lt Col Somboon said the DSI found obvious irregularities in the accounts of the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative from 2009 to 2012. Authorities were examining if any regulations of the cooperative had been illegally changed to facilitate the corrupt withdrawal of money through cheques drawn against the credit union.
Pol Lt Col Pakorn said that Phra Khru Palad Wijan had received 119 million baht through cheques issued by Supachai Srisupa-aksorn, former chairman of the cooperative, allegedly to pay for the construction of a youth centre in Khok Samrong district, Lop Buri, in 2009 and 2010, but the centre had been already built in 2008.
Mr Supachai, the prime suspect in the embezzlement case, authorised 878 cheques drawn on the cooperative's funds for a total of 11.367 billion baht.
There were 43 cheques paying 932 million baht to Wat Phra Dhammakaya, Phra Dhammachayo, the Maharat Ubasikajan Khon Nok Yoong Foundation, Phra Khru Palad Wijan and other monks at the temple.
Twenty-seven cheques were to pay 348 million baht to temple followers and people close to Mr Supachai and 12 cheques to pay 272 million baht to SW Holding Group.
Three cheques were issued to pay 46 million baht to Mongkol Setthi Credit Union Cooperative located at Wat Phra Dhammakaya, 135 cheques to pay 2.566 billion baht to Ratpracha Credit Union, its chairman Watchanont Nawa-isararak, and to Jeeradej Worapiankul, former assistant to former finance minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong, and 658 cheques paying a total of 7.203 billion baht to other parties.
Pol Lt Col Pakorn said more assets would be seized in relation to the case. Earlier the Anti-Money Laundering Office seized assets worth about five billion baht believed to be linked to the alleged embezzlement.
He also said the DSI would verify Mr Supachai's claim that he had borrowed money from the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative, using correct and legal procedures, and donated it to Wat Phra Dhammakaya and Phra Dhammachayo, and already repaid the loan.
Pol Lt Col Pakorn said the DSI also found that 27 cheques had been issued as loans to companies, but no one had signed as the borrower in a loan agreement.
About 300 people claiming to be parties damaged by the alleged embezzlement at the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative on Friday asked the DSI to object to Mr Supachai's release on bail.
They said the embezzlement had hurt a large number of people and caused huge damage. Klongchan is the biggest cooperative in Thailand with over 50,000 members who have deposited savings totalling more than 20 billion baht.
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said on Friday that representatives of the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative, Wat Phra Dhammakaya and its monks had agreed that the temple and its monks had 684 million baht of the cooperative's money, and they would discuss what to do next in the Civil Court on March 16.
He said he knew that the temple would raise donations to return the money.
