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Buddhist group calls for Pongporn to quit over case of monks’ alleged fraud


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Buddhist group calls for Pongporn to quit over case of monks’ alleged fraud

By The Nation

 

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File photo: Pol Lt-Colonel Pongporn Parmsneh

 

A GROUP of Buddhists has demanded the dismissal of National Buddhism Office’s director Pol Lt-Colonel Pongporn Parmsneh after he pursued legal proceedings against five senior monks over alleged embezzlement of state funds for temples.

 

“The head of the office has the duty to serve as the secretary to the clergy. It’s not his duty to take action against clergymen,” Charoon Wonnakasinanont said yesterday on behalf of the Network of Buddhists for the Nation’s Power. 

 

He said he would submit a petition to Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, asking him to remove Pongporn from the helm of the National Buddhism Office (NBO).

 

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Charoon also called on Pol Maj-General Kamol Rienracha, who heads the police force’s Counter Corruption Division, to take legal action against Pongporn for alleged abuse of authority. 

 

Last week, it was reported that the NBO would sue five senior monks – including three members of the Sangha Supreme Council – for their role in the alleged embezzlement of state funds for temples. 

 

“The allegations against the monks will damage the reputation of the Buddhist clergy. These allegations have threatened one of Thailand’s key institutions,” Charoon said. 

 

He said it was the duty of the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate the use of state funds, not the NBO.

 

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Charoon said he would also file a complaint against Pongporn with the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission. 

 

“I will give relevant authorities one month to take action. If they do nothing by that time, my network will consider taking further moves,” he said. 

 

Winai Sawekwi, from the same network, said laymen did not have the power to rule over monks. 

 

According to him, the ecclesiastical sector had its own rule and law, namely Dhammavinaya, to handle offenders. “If a monk does wrong, file a complaint with the ruling clergy,” he said.

 

Winai said his network had to defend the accused monks because the clergymen were not well versed in laws. 

 

He said the NBO should focus its attention on the state officials who offered money to monks. 

 

“State officials submitted money to monks and then asked for some portions back. Why would you blame the monks?” he said. 

 

He said monks across the country were now worried that they would be in trouble just because they received money from the NBO. 

 

Kamol said he would look into the network’s complaints. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30343873

 
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-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-25
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1 hour ago, webfact said:

“The head of the office has the duty to serve as the secretary to the clergy. It’s not his duty to take action against clergymen,”

without citing the classic arguments of church vs.state. this guy is effectively saying: 'we will tell you what your job When it is our interest to do so' and 'we will get you when you go after one of our own, nevermind they broke secular laws (they dont apply to us)'

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1 hour ago, webfact said:

Buddhists has demanded the dismissal of National Buddhism Office’s director Pol Lt-Colonel Pongporn Parmsneh after he pursued legal proceedings against five senior monks over alleged embezzlement of state funds for temples.

Of course they have. Don´t have evidence that clears them, they always go try and make an individual wrong and push for him to step down.

Better provide evidence that contradicts the alleged crime instead. I guess that´s something they just can´t do.

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1 hour ago, webfact said:

The allegations against the monks will damage the reputation of the Buddhist clergy. These allegations have threatened one of Thailand’s key institutions,” Charoon said. 

The fact that they are thieving scum should not be revealed

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Winai Sawekwi, from the same network, said laymen did not have the power to rule over monks. 

Taking vows, which you then ignore, puts you above the law.

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2 hours ago, webfact said:

“The allegations against the monks will damage the reputation of the Buddhist clergy. These allegations have threatened one of Thailand’s key institutions,” Charoon said. 

Not at all concerned whether there is any truth in the allegations, just that they damage reputations that maybe don't exist in the first place. 

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17 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

What's the big deal?

 

If the monks in question promise to campaign/support for Prayut, he will see that the charges go nowhere (see telecom industry).

 

Don't the monks understand Thailand 2018?

And you think that situation didn't apply in the past? Where have you been?

Your allegation might have more credence if there wasn't actually revelation, investigation and prosecution happening in 2018.

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Strange conflicting stuff: 

 

- Their own strong teaching (from the buddha) is that monks cannot have money / handle money, but then their new saviour says ".... monks across the country were now worried that they would be in trouble just because they received money from the NBO."

 

Seems to me they are all lost and confused and succumbing to greed and avarice in the overall swill, but demand to be respected and allowed to operate outside the laws of Thailand. 

 

Separation of religion and state has meaning but it's not meant to give protection to thieves. 

 

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, webfact said:

“State officials submitted money to monks and then asked for some portions back. Why would you blame the monks?” he said. 

Good enough for them, good enough for us! With an attitude like this, they will never change!

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1 hour ago, YetAnother said:

without citing the classic arguments of church vs.state. this guy is effectively saying: 'we will tell you what your job When it is our interest to do so' and 'we will get you when you go after one of our own, nevermind they broke secular laws (they dont apply to us)'

 

And the spokesman / person taking action is a police major general, a very high rank, an officer who should be very knowledgeable about the law and know well that the law cannot be twisted to protect thieves, no matter what clothes they wear.

 

Again, bring on RTP reform and send officers like this home and stay home, and tomorrow bring in a whole bunch of knowledgeable and balanced professionals. 

 

 

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3 hours ago, webfact said:

Last week, it was reported that the NBO would sue five senior monks – including three members of the Sangha Supreme Council – for their role in the alleged embezzlement of state funds for temples.

I don;t think they embezzled anything - it was just borrowed for temporary use on drugs, alcohol, mobile phones, sex and g/fs

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3 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

I don;t think they embezzled anything - it was just borrowed for temporary use on drugs, alcohol, mobile phones, sex and g/fs

 

And/or passed to the monks to 'keep it safe' until it's quiet enough to pass it on to a ministry official.

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3 hours ago, webfact said:

According to him, the ecclesiastical sector had its own rule and law, namely Dhammavinaya, to handle offenders. “If a monk does wrong, file a complaint with the ruling clergy,” he said.

"If the ruling clergy does wrong, file a complaint with a holy tree trunk."

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The allegations against the monks will damage the reputation of the Buddhist clergy. These allegations have threatened one of Thailand’s key institutions,” Charoon said.

 

he don't care that the allegations might be true ...  and that the clergy themselves already took care of damaging their reputation

 

brazen impudence

 

while I believe there are honest monks existing with high morale it is obvious that there are too many who allow themselves to be quite  different 

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I suppose there will always be the few that are determined to see no wrong in the clergy of the religion they have decided to believe in.

 

Personally, I do not believe the buddhist monks are excluded from the rule of 80/20 as it applies to corruption, to me they do not seem to be any better than the police or the army, of most other Thais, and wrapping a yellow robe around yourself doesn't make very much difference.

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5 hours ago, rkidlad said:

What we need now is a story about some foreign tourist wearing inappropriate clothes inside sacred temple grounds. That’s what’s truly offensive to Buddhism. Not this. 

Not really. That's what is truly offensive to Thais, not thievery, not corruption, not plagiarism, but some foreign girl wearing a skimpy dress or not covering her shoulders...

 

Sad really, but symptomatic of a culture in terminal decline.

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