He's a high-flying monk who stirred controversy when he was filmed aboard a private jet donning designer sunglasses and high-tech gadgets last month. But Phra Wirapol Sukphol now appears set for a hard landing as supporters and critics face off over accusations of fraud, money laundering and sexual misconduct at his Si Sa Ket monastery.
While the monk, better known as Luang Pu Nen Kham, was, as Spectrum went to press, still refusing to return from his trip to France to face investigators, his critics are pushing to expose the truth behind the monk's lavish lifestyle.
Some of his followers, however, remain loyal to the embattled monk.
Sukhum Wongprasit, the chairman of the Baan Wimuttidham Buddhist group, recently asked the Sangkha Council to explain exactly how Luang Pu had violated Buddhist principles. He insisted the monk has behaved well.
Mr Sukhum, a candidate in the most recent Bangkok governor election whose academic qualifications have been questioned, vowed to uncover the truth about a photo allegedly showing the monk sharing a pillow with a woman.
He said an initial probe indicated the photo had been doctored and vowed to file legal charges against those responsible.
''We do not know how this will end; positive or negative. We will find evidence to counter all the groundless accusations against Phra Wirapol,'' Mr Sukhum told a parliamentary committee looking into the case last month.
He also challenged those who accuse the monk of sexual misconduct to provide evidence of their claims.
TAKING OFF
Luang Pu was born into a family of Ubon Ratchathani farmers in 1979.
Stories surrounding the monk's early history suggest he devoted himself to Buddhism from a young age. At the age of six, he reportedly began meditating at a local cemetery.
WHAT GOES UP: Luang Pu Nen Kham during a visit to the Cessna Jet manufacturing company in the American state of Kansas last year.
On important Buddhist days, he wore white clothing and stayed at a nearby temple.
When he was 15 years old, he was ordained as a Buddhist novice. Six years later he entered the monkhood at Wat Pa Don That in Ubon Ratchathani, where he was renowned for demonstrating his meditative powers _ such as his alleged ability to see into the past _ in a Khong Jiam district cave.
He later went on several pilgrimages in provinces throughout the country. In 1999, he arrived at Ban Yang village in Si Sa Ket's Kantarom district, where a local villager donated a 15-rai plot of land in 2002 for him to use to build a temple.
Eleven years later, there is still no temple. The woman who donated the land received a death threat last month after asking for the plot to be returned.
The site is, however, occupied by the Wat Pa Khanti Tham monastery, where Luang Pu is chairman.
The young monk's charming personality, as well as his claims of supernatural powers, helped him attract a strong following. His bid to build the world's largest replica image of the Emerald Buddha has also helped him solicit huge donations _ the monk's personal assets are rumoured to be worth more than one billion baht.
Luang Pu's influence also stretches overseas. He has been regularly invited to teach at various educational institutes, corporations and other Buddhist institutes. Every year he travels abroad _ to Laos, France and the US _ to deliver Buddhist teachings at temples in those countries.
When Luang Pu leaves his Si Sa Ket monastery, he often travels by helicopter or private jet. For trips closer to home, he is couriered in the back of a 40 million baht Rolls-Royce Phantom.
COMMITTEE ON THE CASE
The National Office of Buddhism received a string of complaints about Luang Pu after a video surfaced last month of the monk flying aboard a private jet, wearing sunglasses and using various luxury items. The office initially brushed aside the complaints, saying the monk's actions were not a serious breach of monastic principles.
That triggered a public outcry, with many pointing out that the monk's actions directly violate the Buddha's teachings of simplicity and self restraint. The office eventually bowed to the pressure and agreed to launch an investigation into Luang Pu and his monastery.
The National Office of Buddhism deputy director Kanok Seanprasert confirmed that the controversial monk was legally ordained at Wat Pa Don That in Ubon Ratchathani in 1999. However, he transferred to Wat Tai Prachao Yai Ong Tue in the same province, where he was ordained and registered in 2006 after failing to set up his own temple on the donated land.
Mr Kanok said the Si Sa Ket provincial Buddhism office granted permission to build a temple on the 15-rai land plot in Kantarom district in 2002. However, that authorisation expired in 2007 and to date no temple has been built on the site.
Its status as a samnak song (monastery) exposes a loophole, however, that makes it harder for authorities to probe alleged financial misconduct there.
Mr Kanok said his office normally has the authority to inspect donations made to any temple.
''Places like a monastery, however, despite receiving huge donations from followers, are exempted from routine monitoring,'' he said.
''But the office can work with the Anti-Money Laundering Office [Amlo] if a committee of monks finds evidence of irregularities.''
Monk committees can be set up by the Sangha Supreme Council to consider claims of misconduct within the monkhood. Luang Pu was given until last Sunday to report to the committee investigating the claims against him. He ignored the deadline, opting to remain in France, where he is on a religious visit, and refusing to say when he would return to Thailand.
FRAUD 'OBVIOUS'
Amid the controversy surrounding Luang Pu, there have also been allegations of bias levelled at the committee investigating him. During the past year, Luang Pu purchased luxury cars for at least two high-ranking monks in Ubon Ratchathani. One of those monks was appointed to the committee probing his case.
Luang Pu also purchased vans for Mahamongkut Buddhist University and the Highway Police Division. With such connections, many of the monk's critics doubted the objectivity of the committee's investigation and demanded that other authorities step in and take charge of the case. About a week ago, they petitioned Amlo to investigate the financial transactions of the controversial monk and his close associates. Amlo found that among the 16 bank accounts that belong to Luang Pu and his aides, 10 are involved in daily active monetary transactions of around 200 million baht, raising suspicions of fraud and money laundering.
''I want to warn Luang Pu Nen Kham's network and Luang Pu himself that they don't move assets shown in the bank accounts because doing so will immediately fall into the category of money laundering,'' Amlo deputy chief Suwanee Sawaengphol said after announcing the monk's assets had been frozen as part of the investigation.
''If the money has been used to buy cars or an airplane, such assets will be illegal too, according to money laundering laws, and they will be confiscated,'' she said.
''Even though Luang Pu can claim that the money has been voluntarily donated by members of the public, if the money was obtained by exploiting people's faith through fraud and scams, that is illegal under the money laundering law.''
Based on evidence gathered so far, Pol Capt Suwanee said it was ''obvious'' that Luang Pu and what she called the monk's ''inner network'' appeared to have violated the money laundering law as a consequence of public fraud through several projects. She cited construction of a hospital and a project to build the world's largest replica of the Emerald Buddha, and said each of these projects had resulted in bank accounts being opened.
Amlo officials will visit Wat Pa Khanti Tham next week to gather more information from witnesses before submitting an official investigation report to the agency's committee on financial transactions on July 19.
Recent media reports have also alleged that Luang Pu had ''secret intimate relationships'' with eight women, and that he may have fathered a child each with two of them. That is a line of questioning Amlo could pursue to determine if he had paid any of the women.
Amlo will also examine the monk's personal use of credit cards while travelling abroad.
The assets probe came after members of an online social network group calling itself the ''Facebook network against acts that destroy the nation, religion and the royal institution'', last week asked Amlo to look into Luang Pu's assets and the temple's donations
Complaints have also been lodged by members of the public with the Crime Suppression Division (CSD). They want the CSD to investigate the status of the monk and the donations made to his monastery.
The photograph allegedly showing the monk lying beside a woman is also the subject of a complaint.
CURBING MISCONDUCT
The case of Luang Pu is just the tip of the iceberg.
Misconduct in the monkhood occurs regularly _ not only involving young monks but abbots as well. The problems are rarely hidden or covered up, and have been widely exposed to public scrutiny through the media.
Many have experienced the bad behaviour first hand. A survey conducted by the National Institute of Development and Administration late last year found that 65% of the 1,174 people interviewed were aware of sexual misconduct, drug use and alcohol abuse in the monkhood and wanted offenders reprimanded and taken to court.
At the same time, they suggested that the authorities, rather than waiting for complaints from the public, should monitor monks more closely.
''It is a crisis of Buddhism and monks, and also Buddhists themselves,'' says Phra Ratchathamnithes, better known as Phra Payom Kallayano, of Wat Suan Keow in Nonthaburi.
Phra Payom says part of the problem is that a large number of Thai Buddhists are gullible, believing whatever they are told by monks, especially claims of mysterious and supernatural powers. This makes it easier for unscrupulous monks to fool and take advantage of their followers.
''In the case of Nen Kham, his followers should have become aware [of something suspicious] from the moment he talked about meeting Buddha or being a friend of [Hindu deity] Phra In,'' Phra Payom said.
Despite being aware that monks are required to lead a modest life, many Thais challenge this principle by providing luxury items to temples, he said.
At the same time, many monks allow themselves to enjoy the pleasures of the material world.
''The monks' aides and close associates play vital roles in deceiving the public. It is impossible for a young monk to quickly gain widespread popularity. The monk's aides make up mysterious and magical stories about him. Those who do this must face legal penalties for conspiring to defraud the public,'' Phra Payom says.
At present, the lack of screening for those who wish to be ordained makes it impossible to prevent people entering the monkhood for dubious reasons. However, strict control measures at temples would help, Phra Payom says.
''Before, more than 40 monks lived at Wat Suan Keow. Under the rules of the temple, they are not allowed to keep donated money for their personal use. They also cannot perform religious rites outside the temple. Now only four or five remain,'' he said.
Chinnawat Haboonpad, a member of the MP commission on religion, art and culture, also said many monks publicly distort Buddhist teachings, but the religion's governing body is powerless to stop them.
Under these circumstances, a drastic reform of the clergy becomes a viable option, Phra Payom says, noting that the challenge is finding someone to lead the charge.
''I do not think the clergy will spearhead a move now or in the future,'' he said. ''Actually, the government should be responsible for reform with the aim of protecting Buddhism. At present, they do not give it much attention, leaving it in the hands of the clergy.''
According to the teachings of Buddha, Buddhists themselves are also responsible for promoting and protecting the religion, said an academic in Buddhist studies who asked not to be named. ''Buddhists can initiate and urge for reform with cooperation from low-ranking monks,'' the academic said.
There are many groups already standing up against monks who violate their religious principles. ''However, they work on a case by case basis. On one hand it is good to reflect on what is happening in the monkhood and to get rid of the bad ones. On the other hand, if they keep on working like this, it will be a never-ending task,'' the academic said.
''To reform would mean to set a clear strategy and structure for the clergy to promote the genuine teachings [of the Buddha] and protect the religion from bad monks,'' he said, adding that the present structure of the clergy has been in place since the reign of King Rama V nearly 100 years ago.
As society undergoes change and more people, both monks and laymen, are motivated by material desires, the need for stricter controls in the monkhood will only grow. ''The Sangha Supreme Council, with its limited capacity, cannot efficiently deal with the increasing problems of rogue monks and temples,'' Phra Payom says.
PYRAMID SCHEME: Above, Luang Pu Nen Kham in Egypt, part of a religious trip he took in 2010. Right, a large portrait of Luang Pu on display for his followers.
HOLY HIGH ROLLERS: Left, Luang Pu and another monk on a private jet. Right, the controversial monk preaching at Wat Pa Khanti Tham in Si Sa Ket province.
SAVE THE HOCUS POCUS: Phra Payom Kallayano says that the credulity of many Thai Buddhists makes them easy prey for unscrupulous monks. PHOTO: JETJARAS NA RANONG