Hunt for Dhammajayo reaches mountaintop mansions

Hunt for Dhammajayo reaches mountaintop mansions

This bird's-eye-view photo shows two mansions searched by the DSI in the southern province of Phangnga on Friday. (DSI photo)
This bird's-eye-view photo shows two mansions searched by the DSI in the southern province of Phangnga on Friday. (DSI photo)

PHANGNGA - Officials of the Department of Special Investigation and soldiers searched mountaintop residences belonging to a southern property developer in Takua Thung district in the hunt for fugitive Phra Dhammajayo.

The search of two mansions on a mountain in tambon Khlong Khian was supported by a helicopter and army and navy personnel.

The mansions - alleged to stand inside the Khuan Toh La forest reserve - reportedly belong to a property developer from Phuket province, and were suspected of being used as safe houses for the 72-year-old former abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya.

Phra Dhammajayo is wanted for money laundering and receiving stolen property in relation to a multi-billion-baht embezzlement scandal at the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative.

He is also wanted for alleged forest encroachment by branches of his temple in several provinces.

Both mansions No. 111 and No. 222 were connected to Highway 1004 by a 2.8-kilometre-long private road. DSI found that the original land rights document covered a large expanse - 39 rai - of the mountain, an area claimed to have been used as an orchard for 33 years.

But aerial photographs from 1967 and 1976 showed that the area had in fact been pristine forest,  DSI director-general Paisit Wongmuang told the press. The DSI would take legal action to remedy the illicit issuance of the land rights document.

The document issuance was also illegal because private possession of land on mountainous terrain was prohibited, he said.

During Friday's search of the properties, officials did not locate the owner, but did find pictures of Phra Dhammajayo's followers.

DSI officials and soldiers inspect one of the targeted properties. (DSI photo)

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