The Crime Suppression Division has solid evidence to support money laundering charges against the former abbot of Wat Sa Ket, according to a source close to the investigation.
According to the source, Wat Sa Ket received a total of 62.5 million baht from the National Office of Buddhism to fund Buddhism promotion projects at 19 temples known as their branches.
The investigation showed that nine temples did not receive any money and the four others were allocated 2 million baht each. The remaining money was found to have ended up in the bank account of a woman related to a female disciple of the former abbot.
The money was claimed to fund the production of advertising materials for the temple but the Anti-Money Laundering Office ran checks and found it was used for personal purposes.
According to the source, the temple fund embezzlement at the three prominent temples, Wat Sa Ket, Wat Samphanthawong and Wat Sam Phraya, is different from the so-called "change money" scandal that surfaced last year.
In the "change money" scandal, several monks found to be involved have not been charged but have become state witnesses because the money was siphoned by embezzlement gangs, not the monks. After the temples received the funds, 20% was spent on the projects while the remainder was transferred to gang members.
In the fresh scandal, the money was transferred to the monks' accounts or those close to them in an attempt to launder the money.
Meanwhile, Thai authorities are likely to find out tomorrow if they can bring the former Phra Phrom Methee home, a police source said Wednesday.
The Thai delegation led by national police chief Chakthip Chaijinda is said to be in talks with Interpol in France to pressure Germany into extraditing the fugitive monk whose lay name is Chamnong Iamintra.
He is one of seven former senior monks from three prominent temples charged with temple fund embezzlement and money laundering. Five were arrested during the raids while the former Phra Phrom Sitthi turned himself in later to police.
Pol Gen Chakthip, who is on an official visit in France, is scheduled to fly back to Bangkok on Saturday. If the talks succeed, his delegation will travel to Frankfurt and escort the fugitive monk back to Thailand.
The former assistant abbot of Wat Samphanthawong submitted an asylum application to immigration officials upon arriving at Frankfurt airport. The national police chief's first attempt to bring him back failed.
Meanwhile, Pol Col Chaiyot Warakjunkiat, superintendent of Nakhon Phanom immigration office, has been transferred to an inactive post at the Region 4 Immigration Division pending a disciplinary probe, a source said.
The officer's transfer is believed to have been triggered by the escape of the former Phra Phrom Methee who slipped into Laos via Nakhon Phanom, the source said. Two police on duty during the monk's escape are being investigated.
