A Wat Dhammakaya spokesman has sought to hose down reports that the temple's controversial abbot is preparing to seek asylum in the US, but signalled that his standoff with money laundering investigators would continue.
Phra Sanitwong Wuttiwangso, the temple's communications office director, said Phra Dhammajayo, who claims to be suffering from severe health conditions, has no passport or visa to travel to the United States.
Pictures speak louder: Temple spokesman says Phra Dhammajayo is ill.
He said the abbot was "willing to die at the temple".
A warrant has already been issued for the arrest of Phra Dhammajayo, who faces charges of money laundering and receiving stolen property worth 1.2 billion baht.
Phra Sanitwong said the abbot is ready to hear the charges against him, but repeated claims made last week that he was not fit to leave the temple to meet with Department of Special Investigation officials.
"There's no need for the DSI to bring in a force to arrest the abbot. That's a waste. Just have an official come alone and he'll see the abbot. This isn't a national issue, and don't try to play it up. The abbot has been cooperative with the authorities," Phra Sanitwong said.
The abbot has failed to report to three scheduled meetings with the DSI, prompting the Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant on Tuesday.
The DSI offered to grant bail to Phra Dhammajayo if he surrenders by Thursday.
Phra Sanitwong was responding to reports that the abbot had obtained a visa to enter the United States, where he was planning to lobby the White House for protection on human rights grounds.
Phra Sanitwong said there was a petition calling on Washington to protect the abbot, but it had been initiated by temple disciples who hold US citizenship.
The monk also stood by earlier claims that a doctor from the army's Fort Phanurangsri Hospital in Ratchaburi had visited the temple and checked on the abbot before issuing a medical certificate.
He claimed the doctor in question is a specialist who was asked to make a private visit by a team of doctors treating Phra Dhammajayo.
The Facebook page of the temple's organisational communications office yesterday released a photo of a doctor examining a foot, which it claimed as proof that the doctor had come to check on the abbot.
It also said the doctor was allowed to pay a private visit without seeking permission from his hospital, and that he was responsible for his own medical views.