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Senior monk ‘moved Bt25m temple funds to paper firm’


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Senior monk ‘moved Bt25m temple funds to paper firm’

By The Nation

 

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THE ongoing probe into the embezzlement of temple funds has suggested that a senior monk allegedly transferred Bt25 million to a paper company controlled by a woman with links to the military.
 

The woman is reportedly an elder relative of Armed Forces staffer Second Lieutenant Thititat Niponpittaya, whose house in Bangkok was shown as the company’s address.

 

“The probe is still ongoing. So I cannot disclose details,” Deputy national police Commissioner Pol General Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said yesterday. 

 

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The name of the money recipient was Nuchara Sittinok, 32. On paper, Nuchara owned the company that provided PR and event-organising services to a big temple in Bangkok. However, she is only a maid in the Thititat home. 

 

When police found her at Thititat’s home during Wednesday’s raid and questioned her, she reportedly admitted to opening the bank account and more at the family’s bidding.

 

Police also found numerous weapons in Thititat’s house. In his safes, they found 18 guns and 1,005 rounds of ammunition, in addition to gold ornaments, diamond rings, valuables and financial records. Thititat works at the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters.

 

“We have seized his weapons pending a full probe,” Srivara said at a press conference yesterday. 

 

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Maj-General Kanisorn Suthornt-eemakorn, who works for the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), said at the same event that although laws did not specify how many guns a soldier could have in his possession, it was unlikely that Thititat’s military job would require him to have so many guns. 

 

A source said Thititat’s elder relative, who has not been named yet, had got PR and event-organising jobs from a temple via a senior monk. 

 

“She also accompanied him on an overseas trip for a Dhammaduta Bhikkhu project, which has the written objective of promoting Dhamma,” it added. 

 

When Thititat got ordained as a monk in a grand ceremony, the senior monk performed the ordination for him. At the same ceremony, a former executive of an independent agency auditing the use of state budget also attended because Thititat used to serve as his secretary.

 

It remains unclear whether Thititat, his former boss and his elder relative will face any charges in connection with temple-fund embezzlement. 

 

Last month, the National Buddhism Office (NBO) lodged a complaint against five senior monks, accusing them of embezzling state funds meant for the Dhamma schools. 

 

Implicated are Phra Phromdilok, the abbot of Sam Phraya Temple; Phra Phrommedhi, an assistant abbot of Samphanthawongsaram Temple; Phra Phromsitti, the abbot of Sa Ket Temple; and Sa Ket Temple’s assistant abbots Phra Medhisuttikorn and Phra Wijitdhammaporn.

 

The five monks are the third batch of suspects in the temple-fund scam. Authorities started seriously investigating the use of state funds at temples last year following a discovery that some senior officials of the NBO were themselves involved in the fund embezzlement.

 

The National Anti-Corruption Commission has already indicted several officials, including former NBO chief Phanom Sornsilp and former deputy director of the NBO Pranom Kongpikul.

 

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Pol Maj-General Kamol Rienracha, who heads the National Police Office’s Counter Corruption Division, said yesterday that his office was now investigating the fourth batch of suspects.

 

“The previous batches have already been handed over to the relevant agencies,” he said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30345669

 
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-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-05-18
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7 minutes ago, webfact said:

the embezzlement of temple funds has suggested that a senior monk allegedly transferred Bt25 million to a paper company controlled by a woman with links to the military.

Oh no! This has to be quickly swept under the thick rug of dust, that since long has been creating the slope they all gonná fall on some day. Actually, this is a fabricated story. It never happened. Do you hear me?? It never happened!!! You do now the we have mysterious cells that we run together with the DSI and also have our very well know Attitude Adjustment Camps, right?

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47 minutes ago, webfact said:

said yesterday that his office was now investigating the fourth batch of suspects.

ah those fun monks; likely could make a career out of investigating monks for corruption and outright thievery and finding many 'irregularities'

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I'm deeply shocked, that this sort of thing could go on,  in Thailand's Temples :giggle:

Lord Buddha,  would not be amused

 

Right,    im off to buy a lucky Amulet, get some mass printed drivel paper work about my life,

and a fistful of lottery tickets.

You guessed it,  im off to the Wat. :jap:

 

 

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2 hours ago, webfact said:

Armed Forces staffer Second Lieutenant Thititat Niponpittaya, whose house in Bangkok was shown as the company’s address.

Remind me. Isn't this military junta government built around gifted upstanding honest army men such as Second Lieutenant Thititat Niponpittaya?

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

"When Thititat got ordained as a monk in a grand ceremony...."

Goodness me. A military officer and a monk at the same time? Perhaps a moral conflict of interest there. What uniform does he wear on parade?

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3 minutes ago, Siripon said:

The abbot of Wat Sam Phraya is implicated. I'm fed up of seeing the monks from his temple in 7-11 every night to the late hours.

 

Khao Pansa isn't until July, so I'm sure it must be OK, ha ha. They're probably only looking for a mobile phone top-up. Beer, food - never!

 

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4 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

Goodness me. A military officer and a monk at the same time? Perhaps a moral conflict of interest there. What uniform does he wear on parade?

Probably alternates every day.

True multi-tasking Thainess style - Thai Niyom it's all part of the Supreme Saviour's plan

 

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48 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

25 million baht...………..you could buy a lot of merit with that amount!

Yeah - buying merit: I see we're going back in time to the 16th Century. It seems to be on a par with Martin Luther fighting the Sale of Indulgences, which the Catholic Church were doing, making them big money.

2018: Thailand -4.0

 

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Taxpayer funds are supplied through the NOB for Buddhist temples in Thailand to assist the temples.

Eliminate religious funding and transform Thailand into a secular state. No more temple corruption.

If Buddhism is so integral to Thai culture and tradition, it should be able to sustain itself through direct support of its followers.

 

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become a Monk, not do a days work for the rest of your life, realy poor people give you money every day, you get to watch porn, have ladies (and young boys) visit you, and get to embezzle  monies meant for the temple into your own bank account bugger, this is a job only Thai can do. ,i tell all my Thai friends there is nothing called *good luck* but it is inbred to them from an early age, a bit sad realy to watch, got to go to the temple, give money for good luck, NO .

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3 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Religion? Surely some mistake?

[cynical mode:off]

 

correct , a major misunderstanding - but it's all ok and it will be sorted,  and trust the passports are up to date so a quick exit  in case they need overseas travel.

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7 hours ago, webfact said:

t remains unclear whether Thititat, his former boss and his elder relative will face any charges

Of course they won't face any charges: monk + army officer - both 'protected' species.

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