SURIN - The abbot of Pa Sri Pracha monastry has denied local residents' allegations that he and a nun defrauded them of 56 million baht in cash and assets.
Phra Khru Baideega Samai Titseelo of Wat Pa Sri Pracha in Surin province comes out to deny an allegation of frauds by villagers. (Photo by Nopparat Kingkaew)
Phra Khru Baideega Samai Titseelo was confronted on Monday when 50 villagers filed a complaint with police in Sikhoraphum district against the 40-year-old monk and nun Pang Tarjarawat.
The villagers told police that the two convinced them and 15 others to lend the temple cash and valuables, totaling 56.6 million baht, for the construction of a Buddhist sanctuary and a golden Buddha image within the grounds, promising to repay everything they borrowed within six months.
Three years have passed and none of them had yet received any of their money or assets back, according to their report to the police. The sanctuary and the statue were also not built.
The monk said the temple will give back what it was lent, over a period of time.
The abbot said the temple currently has five baht in its bank account and affirmed it actually owed 11 million baht in cash and assets, not 56.6 million as claimed by the villagers.
The numbers were reportedly confirmed by a document presented to the police by Lanchakorn Patama, the lawyer for the temple.
He insisted it was not unusual for monasteries to have construction debt, because they do not have any other income aside from donations.
The monk said any worried donors could meet him at the temple if they have any questions. He said he had nothing to hide.
Pol Maj Gen Chaitat Inthanujit, chief of Surin provincial police, said the police are still investigating the case.
The villagers also demanded on Monday that the Department of Special Investigation take up their case.