Hunting for Phra Dhammachayo continues : Prawit
Department of Special Investigation will continue searching for Phra Dhammachaoyo; a fugitive monk who is under arrest warrants for money laundering, possessing stolen items and encroaching of national parks.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan on Saturday insisted that although the search inside Dhammakaya Temple in Pathum Thani province on Friday could not locate the fugitive former abbot, authorities concerned would not give up their investigation and operation in order to find the monk.
Prawit also insisted that there would be no revocation of Article 44 that has authorized controlling and searching Dhammakaya Temple.
Prawit said that the Pathum Thani Temple will continue controlled area as authorized in the Article. The government has declared the temple a controlled area in its bid to locate Phra Dhammachayo.
On Friday, the temple allowed officials to resume search for the former abbot who is stripped of his monastic ranking, in the premises. The search found no Phra Dhammachayo.
The temple’s Friday move resulted in Department of Special Investigation’s decision to reduced security personnel assigned to the operation and allowed monks and followers to go in and out the temple. The decision resulted in rumours that the Article would be revoked.