A former monk at Wat Phra Dhammakaya has lodged a police complaint accusing the deputy abbot of the temple of defamation.
Mano Laohavanich lodged the complaint Wednesday at the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok. It names Phra Phawanawiriyakhun, widely known as Phra Thattacheewo, as the defendant.
Mr Mano accuses the deputy abbot, who is in charge of running a Facebook page called "Wake Up Buddhists", of defaming him and his family by posting false information that damages his reputation and provoking hatred towards him.
Mr Mano gave police printouts from the Facebook page as evidence.
Mr Mano was once a top-ranking monk at the temple and one of abbot Phra Dhammachayo's most trusted aides. He parted company with the temple in 1998.
Mr Mano said he was targeted for attack after he spoke out against the temple and its abbot.
He also sat on a now-disbanded National Reform Council committee on reforming and protecting Buddhism, led by NRC member Paiboon Nititawan
The panel was created to lay down guidelines for the protection of Buddhism as a fresh scandal involving the controversial Wat Phra Dhammakaya and its abbot Phra Dhammachayo emerged.
But Mr Paiboon later announced his decision to disband the panel amid growing criticism of its recent moves against the clergy.
Mr Mano said Wednesday he turned his back on the temple because he could no longer tolerate the abbot's alleged misconduct.
"We are talking about the world's largest temple, which also has political influence. This poses a challenge to the country's justice system. If we do not solve the problem and begin reform now, the religion will be exploited and many more people will fall victim," Mr Mano said.
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He said there are up to a hundred companies and cooperatives connected to Wat Phra Dhammakaya. They conduct commercial businesses and transactions, including giving loans to cooperative members, on behalf of the temple.
Some of them are located on the premises of the temple's branches, he said.
Mr Mano also asked the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) for protection.
He said he had felt threatened since he testified as a witness in the DSI investigation into the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative embezzlement case, and its connection with Wat Phra Dhammakaya and Phra Dhammachayo.
Mr Mano said anyone who has spoken out against the temple and its abbot have been intimidated.
Mr Mano submitted a request to enter the DSI's witness protection programme.
DSI deputy spokesman Pol Lt Col Woranan Srilam, received the request.
Mr Mano said that last Sunday his car was followed closely by a van.
He was certain it was someone trying to intimidate him, to scare him off the case.