Authorities Monday briefly detained a senior monk and the leader of a group that is backing Somdet Phra Maha Ratchamangalacharn to become the next supreme patriarch ahead of a news briefing, disrupting the event.
The detention of Phra Methithammajarn for a brief "attitude adjustment" was an unprecedented move by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) which has in the past "invited" laymen and politicians in for questioning.
A network of Buddhist organisations in Thailand Monday planned to hold a press conference at Wat Sri Sudaram in Bangkok to defy the Ombudsman's conclusion that the Sangha Supreme Council's (SSC) nomination of Somdet Phra Maha Ratchamangalacharn, or Somdet Chuang, as the new supreme patriarch was unlawful.
Shortly ahead of the event, about 20 army and police officers arrived to apprehend Phra Methithammajarn, secretary-general of the Buddhism Protection Centre of Thailand (BPCT) and the network's leader, as well as two others who were to attend the briefing.
They were held in a room for about 30 minutes.
Phra Methithammajarn, who was due to speak at the event, accompanied by police officers, walked into the news briefing and announced he would let Phra Kru Palad Kaweewat, his deputy, speak instead of him, before leaving the room.
Phra Methithammajarn, secretary-general of the Buddhism Protection Centre of Thailand, is surrounded by police officers ahead of a news conference yesterday at Wat Sri Sudaram in Bangkok Noi district aimed at defying the Office of the Ombudsman’s ruling on the next supreme patriarch’s nomination. Tawatchai Kemgumnerd
Phra Kru Palad Kaweewat said the Ombudsman has no authority to rule on the decision made by the SSC, which is not a government organisation.
He gave the example of a Phichit monk who was ruled to have breached Sangha discipline by the SSC. A petition against the ruling was later lodged with the Office of the Ombudsman, which refused to accept it for consideration on Jan 22, citing its lack of authority to rule on SSC decisions.
Speaking to the Bangkok Post on the phone, Phra Methithammajarn said his group will discuss what should be done next.
"What I can say is that they did not want us to hold the conference, as they feared it could intensify conflicts," the monk, who is also vice-rector of Mahachulalongkorn Rajavidyalaya University said, adding he did not expect such extreme action by officers at the event.
The BPCT also released an open letter, stating the Ombudsman intended to interpret Section 7 of the Sangha Act in a way that allowed it to have authority over the case involving the supreme patriarch's nomination and that it breached traditional practices.
This interpretation also violates the ethics of the independent organisations and creates divisions among monks and people, it said.
The BPCT will gather 20,000 names of monks and people to seek the impeachment of the Ombudsman with the National Legislative Assembly (NLA).
Meanwhile, the government has said the Ombudsman's judgement is correct.
"The Office of the Ombudsman is a constitution-based organisation which must be respected and honoured," said Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam. "When its view is expressed, it must carry more weight than other people's opinions."
The government must consider what should be done next, he said, adding, "There is no answer right now on whether we must follow the ruling."
He said he was unaware of reports that the ruling has been forwarded to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
He noted the Ombudsman's ruling is a legal point of view, which should not be called only a "recommendation".
A vintage Mercedes-Benz, owned by scandal-hit supreme patriarch nominee Somdet Phra Maha Ratchamangalacharn, is taken to the Department of Special Investigation in Laksi district yesterday. His assistant, Phra Maha Sasanamunee, wants the DSI to keep the vehicle. Pornprom Satrabhaya
Whatever is done must end the case, and this is one of the reasons why the government process for the nomination has been delayed, Mr Wissanu said.
Mr Wissanu insisted the government is not under pressure despite calls by some monks to accept the SSC's nomination.
There are no concerns over those who may think differently as long as they do not break the law, the deputy premier said.
Tavin Inchamnong, deputy secretary-general of the Office of the Ombudsman, said the agency has no authority to enforce the ruling. If the government fails to act on the ruling within 30-45 days, the office will file a petition with the NLA, calling for a discussion of the matter.
Meanwhile, scandal-hit Somdet Chuang has handed over his vintage Mercedes-Benz to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI).
The vehicle is allegedly linked to illegal import and registration procedures.
The top candidate for Supreme Patriarch has handed over his vintage Mercedes-Benz, above, to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), which says the car is at the centre of a large smuggling and tax-evasion ring. (Photo by Pornprom Satrabhaya)
Phra Maha Sasanamunee, assistant abbot of Wat Pak Nam Phasi Charoen and secretary to Somdet Chuang, gave the vehicle to Somdet Chuang, who registered it under his name.
Also on Monday, Phra Maha Sasanamunee, who is facing a criminal charge by the DSI, asked his lawyer, Surapong Sithikorn, to take the vehicle to the DSI, where Pol Lt Col Korrawat Panprapakorn, director of the DSI's Bureau of Regional Operational Centre, received it.
Mr Surapong said Phra Maha Sasanamunee wanted the DSI to keep the vehicle and he had no intention of taking it back to the temple.
He said the DSI should instead take legal action against the garage which assembled it, since Phra Maha Sasanamunee had not known the vehicle was illegal.
He said Somdet Chuang had given the vehicle back to Phra Maha Sasanamunee, but the ownership rights cannot be transferred now since the DSI has suspended all transactions involving the car.
