Making merit at a temple with money borrowed from a co-operative set up in that same temple's compound so that you can go to heaven or find after-life happiness appears to be Mongkhol Setthi Credit Union Co-operative's marketing gimmick.
About 200 million baht in low-interest loans has reportedly been extended to faithful followers of Wat Dhammakaya — the Dhammakaya sect — so they can "go to heaven".
But there are several layers of "heaven" for the gullible donors to choose from, depending on how much they donate to the temple.
The idea of buying heaven was never taught by the Lord Buddha. Nor is it about Buddhism.
In the case of Mongkhol Setthi Co-operative and Wat Dhammakaya, this is pure commercialisation of Buddhism and exploitation of the weak and gullible.
I have no idea whether these donors will go to heaven or find after-life happiness, as they have to pay their debts first — and if they cannot, their children will have to pay on their behalf.
But I'm not sure whether the most generous donor — Supachai Srisupa-aksorn, former chairman of the Klongchan Credit Union Co-operative and founder of Mongkhol Setthi Credit Union Co-operative — will ever go to heaven.
The 12 billion baht he donated to Wat Dhammakaya, its abbot Phra Dhammachayo — or Phra Thepyarnmunee (a new official name after his promotion by the clergy) — and associates was embezzled from the life savings of investors in the Klong Chan Co-operative.
Prison is probably the only place where Mr Supachai and the other embezzlers will spend the rest of their time in this world.
This will depend on how serious law enforcement agencies are in pursuing the embezzlement and other related cases against those involved — both lay-people and monks alike, without fear or favour.
A fair approach to the case means strict adherence to the letter of the law. Accepting donations in the full knowledge the money was embezzled amounts to receiving stolen goods — which is a criminal offence — and therefore the donations must be returned to their rightful owners.
According to the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo), cheques worth about 900 million baht were issued by Mr Supachai to Phra Dhammachayo. But Amlo secretary-general Pol Col Sihanart Prayoonrat said the money could not be returned to the Klongchan Co-operative because it had been spent on construction work on temple grounds and therefore had become state property.
Pol Col Sihanart stopped short of saying whether Phra Dhammachayo should be faulted with the offence of receiving stolen property.
As far as Phra Dhammachayo is concerned, it appears his troubles are far from over, despite the fact he has already returned more than 800 million baht in donations given to the temple under his name.
The Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) has promised to again investigate whether Phra Dhammachayo is involved in embezzlement. A case against him was withdrawn almost 10 years ago by then attorney-general Patchara Yutithamdamrong.
OAG deputy spokesman Kosolwat Inthuchanyong said if a case is to be withdrawn from the court, the prosecutor in charge of the case must explain the reason why in writing.
But in this particular case, the prosecutor in charge was abruptly transferred and it was Mr Patchara who withdrew the case.
Mr Kosolwat said the prosecutor, who is still in the service, might be invited to submit clarifications on the case.
The deputy spokesman cited, as an example, the case of celebrity anchorman Sorayuth Suthasanachinda, saying that even if the well-known TV personality compensates the Mass Communications Organisation of Thailand for the air-time money he allegedly stole, the OAG will still go ahead and press charges against him.
The whole Wat Dhammakaya controversy, which covers several different aspects, particularly those regarding the Sangha Supreme Council, will drag on for months to come — if not years.
Along the way there will probably be enough twists and turns exposed to make TV soap operas look like children's cartoons.
Veera Prateepchaikul is former editor, Bangkok Post.