THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

'Only 8 per cent of money embezzled from Klongchan donated to Dhammakaya'

'Only 8 per cent of money embezzled from Klongchan donated to Dhammakaya'

Phra Dhammachayo, the former abbot of the Dhammakaya Temple in Pathum Thani, had received donations equivalent to only 8 per cent of the Bt10 billion embezzled from the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative hence the authorities should try to retrieve the money from other involved persons, Phra Sanitwong Chareonrattawong, the communications chief of the temple, said on Tuesday.

During a press conference at the temple's Gate 5 area, Phra Sanitwong said temple disciples had tried to raise funds in order to repay the damaged persons of the Cooperative but their money-raising was accused as a violation of the law.
Phra Sanitwong also urged the five monks, who are on a hunger strike against the use of special powers under Article 44 of the interim charter to declare the temple compound a controlled area, to end their protest as the temple was concerned about their health. 
He said that temple had no knowledge about who had put up a sign in English saying, "We need food", and had already removed it. He also insisted that the disciples had the right to petition for help from the United Nations against the junta order that allegedly violated their rights.
Regarding the missing 400 guns of officers, Phra Sanitwong said the officers had searched the temple compound from February 16-18 but did not find any illegal item. Since February 19, the temple has been under the control of officers hence if anything unusual happened it would be the officers' responsibility, not the temple's.

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