Monk postpones meeting with DSI over dubious donation
Phra Montree Sudapaso has sought to reschedule his meeting with the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to March 20, the case investigation team chief Pol Lt-Colonel Pakorn said yesterday.
The monk allegedly received a cheque of Bt119 million from Supachai Srisupa-aksorn, a key suspect in the Klongchan Credit Union embezzlement case, and is among three monks who have been summoned by the DSI to explain similar donations.
The other two monks have also postponed their meetings with the DSI. Dhammakaya Temple’s abbot Phra Dhammachayo put his meeting off to March 26 and Phra Khru Paladwijahn to March 19.
Available evidence suggests that Phra Dhammchayo received more than Bt300 million and Phra Khru Paladwijahn over Bt100 million from the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative’s bank accounts. This money allegedly came via Supachai, who is accused of embezzling more than Bt10 billion during his time as president.
In related news, Witthawan Sunthornkhajit, deputy secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), said the board’s savings cooperation, which had deposited Bt28 million with the credit union, was not badly affected by this embezzlement case. He said the ONCB saving cooperation had capital worth Bt500 million plus Bt30 million in cash reserves.
Also, he added, the board’s lawyer was closely following the situation in case the court issues a bankruptcy order on March 20, when the procedure of retrieving assets from the credit union will begin.
