Abbot accused of molestation

A junior monk has accused the abbot of a temple in Uthai Thani of allegedly sexually molesting a young man inside his monastery room.

The monk, who declined to be named, handed a video clip featuring alleged misconduct by his abbot to Songkran Atchariyasap, chairman of the Facebook network against acts that harm the kingdom, religion and monarchy.

The clip showed the abbot performing oral sex on a 21-year-old man inside his temple room, Thai media reported Monday.

The monk said the accused abbot, who also serves as deputy chief monk of a tambon in Uthai Thani province, had been engaged in sexual incidents with several men, particularly those who were good-looking. The abbot allegedly lured his victims to his dorm room by telling them that he would perform a rite to boost their charm.

A friend of the 21-year-old in the video used his smart phone to record the sexual act by the abbot in mid-November. The clip was later handed to the junior monk.

The monk said the parents of the victim earlier took their son to lodge a complaint with the provincial monk chief to investigate, but a panel of monks handling the probe found the abbot innocent.

Mr Songkran said he will take the monk to lodge a complaint with Crime Suppression Division police on Tuesday to investigate the alleged sexual act by the abbot.