The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has decided to stop negotiating with embattled abbot Phra Dhammajayo of Wat Phra Dhammakaya and threatened to serve him with the arrest warrant.
The move came after a provincial monastic administration chief withdrew from the joint panel negotiating with the abbot and the temple to turn himself over to investigators.
The negotiating team met Tuesday day at Wat Khian Kate in Pathum Thani's Thanya Buri district to discuss ways to encourage the abbot to turn himself in after an arrest warrant was issued for him in connection with a money laundering case.
The team was made up of officials from the DSI, the National Office of Buddhism, the Sangha Supreme Council's secretariat, and the chief of the Pathum Thani monastic administration Phra Theprattanasuthi, who is also the abbot of Wat Khian Kate.
After a one-hour meeting, Phra Theprattanasuthi revealed that the negotiating team will end its role after the DSI decided to forward the indictment of the abbot along with four others, to the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG). However, the OAG has asked the DSI bring the abbot to court if the OAG issues an indictment.
The case now has nothing to do with the clergy and the authority to pursue the case against Phra Dhammajayo rests solely with state officials, as Phra Theprattanasuthi has withdrawn from the negotiating panel.
Somsak Tohraksa, a legal adviser to the Pathum Thani chief monk, said that the negotiating team will not interfere in the work of the prosecutors.
Deputy DSI chief Somboon Sarasit said the DSI will proceed with serving the arrest warrant following the failure of the negotiations.
From now on, the abbot has to contact prosecutors to surrender only to the court, and if he is arrested, he will not be granted bail, Pol Lt Col Somboon said, adding that the arrest warrant against the abbot has a 15-year statute of limitations.
Pathum Thani monastic administration chief Phra Theprattanasuthi says the clergy will end its role in talks to persuade Phra Dhammajayo to surrender. DSI deputy chief Somboon Sarasit, left, is also present. (Photo by Apichit Jinakul)
DSI chief Paisit Wongmuang approved a request on Monday to seek the indictment of former Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative (KCUC) chairman Supachai Srisupa-aksorn; Saranya Manmhad, a former financial officer at the KCUC; Thongphin Kanlom, a former deputy chairman of the cooperative; Phra Dhammajayo; and Sasithon Chokprasit who has reportedly fled overseas. Supachai, who admitted to siphoning money from KCUC accounts in 2013, is currently in prison after being sentenced by the Criminal Court to 16 years in jail.
The DSI now wants the five suspects to be indicted on charges of conspiring to launder money, laundering money and receiving stolen property in connection with 27 cheques totalling 1.4 billion baht paid from the KCUC.
DSI chief Pol Col Paisit said Tuesday he had not considered a request by Wat Phra Dhammakaya for the DSI to change the chief investigator handling the case.
He added that he interpreted the temple's request as a delaying tactic, hoping that the DSI alter its investigative report on the money laundering case, particularly details regarding evidence of the money trail.
Evidence in the case comprises largely of documents, not witnesses, so any changes to the evidence will not be permitted, he said
Pol Col Paisit added the DSI is investigating more than 10 related cases of money laundering and is expected to wrap up two to three cases next month. If prosecutors decide to indict the suspects in court on July 13, the DSI is duty-bound to bring the suspects to court, Pol Col Paisit said.
The temple's lawyer acted on the DSI's suggestion and the temple waited for the results of the meeting of the negotiating team scheduled for Tuesdday, said Phra Sanitwongse Wuttiwangso, director of Wat Phra Dhammakaya's communications office.
