South-East Asia (Page 2,237)

A rally has been planned for May 23 in front of Parliament in Bangkok’s Kiak Kai area to apply pressure on the 250 members of the Senate not to vote against the people’s resolve for the Move Forward Party to form a government with Pita Limjaroenrat as prime minister.

The planned rally was announced by the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration (UFTD) on its Facebook page on Sunday.

The UFTD said: “An election is an important tool to reflect the people’s need and intention. When the people have voiced their need to see change, things should go in that direction under the democratic principle. But, the 2017 constitution gives the 250 senators the right to vote to elect the prime minister although they are not tied in any way to the people.”

“No matter how much this election has demonstrated the people’s true intention, some senators have shown disagreement with the democratic principle. They stand ready to vote against the wish of the elected representatives of the people and to obstruct any change which may occur,” the UFTD said in the Facebook post.

The UFTD called for people who are “genuine holders of sovereign power” to rally in front of the Parliament in Kiak Kai on May 23 from 5pm to call for the senators not to vote against the people’s wish.

“The people’s victory must not be ruined by the senators,” it said.

In a related development, on Sunday morning a group of people claiming they wanted to protect the monarchy gathered in front of the Chao Phrom market in Muang district, Ayutthaya province. They were led by a woman named Kalayani Juprang, alias “Auntie Ayutthaya”.

The group held aloft banners opposing any attempt to amend or abolish Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or the lese majeste law, and marched along Naresuan road around the market.

Some residents in the Chao Phrom market area came out to oppose the group’s activity, leading to both sides hurling abuse at each another. Police, both in plain-clothes and in uniform, had to intervene to prevent them clashing.

Ms Kalayani called for people in Ayutthaya and nearby provinces to come out to protect the monarchy because the Move Forward Party had a clear intention to amend Section 112.

She said she agreed Move Forward had the legitimacy to form the core of a coalition government, but its policy that could lead to the abolition of Section 112 was unacceptable.

Ms Kalayani and her group dispersed after about 40 minutes.

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Potential governing coalition parties have yet to agree on the terms of a memorandum of understanding expected to be announced on Monday, according to a senior Move Forward Party official.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra denied he would meet representatives of previous government parties in Hong Kong.

MFP secretary-general Chaithawat Tulanon said on Sunday that MFP was set to meet representatives of each potential coalition party separately to thrash out the terms of a memorandum of understanding it planned to sign with potential coalition parties.

“The political parties still have different opinions… They will work out joint agreements before the press conference tomorrow,” Mr Chaithawat said.

The MoU would contain not only the MFP’s agenda but also that of other parties, including peace-making in three southern border provinces, the MFP secretary-general said.

On May 17 the leader of the Prachachart Party inquired about MFP’s idea to end barriers to competition in the market for alcoholic beverages. MFP told the leader it would not encourage people to drink alcohol but wanted to end the monopoly in the production of alcoholic beverages.

In addition, MFP wanted to legalise same-sex marriage to welcome social diversity. 

The Prachachart Party needed to explain the issues to Muslims, its main supporters, Mr Chaithawat said.

He also said that MFP and seven other parties planned to form the next government with 313 House MPs.

“The number of House votes should be enough. Talks with senators are underway,” Mr Chaithawat said, referring to unelected senators’ power to join House represenatives in the vote for the next prime minister, as enshrined in the junta-scripted constitution.

MFP will need at least 376 votes – half the total of the 500 House representatives and 250 senatorrs.- in the joint sitting. MFP is trying to woo some of the senators to back its leader Pita Limjaroenrat as the next prime minister.

Many senators have sought the details of the MoU before the press conference on Monday, he said.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra denied speculation he would meet representatives of previous government parties in Hong Kong. He wrote on Twitter that he was still in Dubai and would travel “late tomorrow night”. He denied he planned to visit Hong Kong.

Mr Thaksin’s message followed a post by Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul that his family was on holiday in Hong Kong.

Mr Anutin is curerntly a ;deputy prime minister and also public health minister. His Bhumjaithai Party garnered the third most House MPs in the May 14 general election.

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Most people are satisfied with the overall election results, saying they would still vote the same way they did on May 14 if there were a new election, according to the results of an opinion survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.

The poll was conducted on May 16-18 by telephone interviews with 1,310 people aged 18 and over of various levels of education, occupations and incomes throughout the country.

Ask about their satisfaction with the election results in their constituencies, 59.08% were very satisfied; 26.87% fairly satisfied; 8.86% quite unsatisfied; and 5.19% very unsatisfied.

Asked about their satisfaction with the overall election results nationwide, 59.39% were very satisfied; 30.07% fairly satisfied; 6.95% quite unsatisfied; and 3.59% very unsatisfied.

Asked how they would vote if there were a new election, 86.49% said they would vote the same way in both in the constituency and party-list systems; 6.03% said they would vote differently in both; 3.13% said they would vote the same as before in the constituency system only; 2.37% said they would not go to the polls; and 1.98% said they would vote the same as before in the party-list system only.

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Most people are satisfied with overall election results, saying they would still vote the same way they did on May 14 if there is a new election, according to the result of an opinion survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.

The poll was conducted on May 16-18 by telephone interviews with 1,310 people aged 18 and over of various levels of education, occupations and incomes throughout the country.

Ask about their satisfaction with the election results in their constituencies, 59.08% were very satisfied; 26.87% fairly satisfied; 8.86% not quite satisfied; and 5.19% not satisfied at all.

Asked about their satisfaction with the overall election results nationwide, 59.39% were very satisfied; 30.07% fairly satisfied; 6.95% not quite satisfied; and 3.59% not satisfied at all.

Asked what if they have to vote again in a new election, 86.49% said they would vote the same as before both in the constituency and party-list systems; 6.03% said they would vote differently from the last time both in the constituency and party-list systems; 3.13% said they would vote the same as before in the constituency system only; 2.37% said they would not go to the poll; and 1.98% said they would vote the same as before in the party-list system only.

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The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has assigned the Anti-Corruption Division (ACD) to work with the National Office of Buddhism (NOB) to put an end to financial crimes and sexual misconduct by monks.

Phra Vajirayankosol, founder of Wat Pah Dhammakhiri, a forest monastery in Nakhon Ratchasima province, and Phra Maha Wuthima Thaomor, its abbot, were recently defrocked and stripped of their titles for allegedly stealing about 300 million baht from temple funds and having sexual relations.

Now as laymen, Khom Khonggaew, 39, and Wuthima Thaomor, 38, have been placed under arrest since May 8.

Police said they found 130 million baht of stolen temple funds in Mr Khom’s bank account and 51 million baht in cash at Mr Khom’s sister’s house, Jutatip Pubodeewachorupan. She is also under arrest.

The seizure as well as the police probe into the monks’ alleged misconduct has drawn public attention across the country.

The ACD has joined hands with the NOB to receive complaints regarding corruption in temples after discovering there are considerable amounts in donations at many temples that need to be inspected.

CIB commissioner Pol Lt Gen Jiraphob Puridej said the arrest of Phra Ajarn Khom Apiwaro was significant and could potentially lead to other embezzlement investigations at other temples.

Monks and abbots should regularly account for donation money, or their financial management may be seen as fraudulent by temple executive committees, he said.

Pol Lt Gen Jiraphob said the NOB had asked the police to look into Mr Khom’s affairs as president of Wat Pah Dhammakhiri.

The office believed Mr Khom was involved in the embezzlement of the temple’s donation money, he said.

Mr Khom had been responsible for the temple’s financial management, including overseeing money donated by followers, he said.

He and Mr Wuthima were suspected of misappropriating the temple’s money for personal use, he said.

Pol Lt Gen Jiraphob said Mr Khom had demanded the abbot of Wat Pa Dhammakhiri bring cash to his sister so she could deposit it into their bank account.

“The suspect also confessed he had sex in the temple’s cloister, which is an infringement of monks’ disciplinary rules,” he said, referring to Mr Khom.

“He was willing to be defrocked and turn himself in.”

On May 9, the CSD arrested six other suspects, comprising a driver and five defrocked monks from Wat Pa Dhammakhiri for their alleged involvement in the 300-million-baht embezzlement scandal.

The five former monks were identified as Boonsong Phanphuwong, 34, Bundit Yoicha, 42, Natthapat Tangjaisanong, 36, Boonluea Pothong, 36, and Thanakrit Yotsurin, 34, and the driver was identified as Boonsak Pattarakosol, 45.

It is believed they hid 76 million baht in cash and other valuables, including gold bars and bullion worth about 100 million baht in total, buried in the compound of the forest temple.

The six men were charged with embezzlement, aiding in embezzlement and receiving stolen goods, reports said.

The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases also rejected their bail request, after deeming them a flight risk.

The amount of seized assets and cash is considerable and the suspects have caused immense damage. Evidence and witnesses could be interfered with if they were granted bail, the court said.

“The case is not complicated because the suspects’ intention was obvious. If they had not meant to misappropriate the temple’s donation money, they would not have transferred it to Ms Jutatip’s account.

“The money should have remained in the temple’s accounts as the donors wished,” Pol Lt Gen Jiraphob said.

He said that Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew, commander of the ACD, has been assigned to work with the NOB to probe temples where monks are suspected to have embezzled donation money.

“The NOB might hold insightful information, but they do not have investigative personnel,” he said. “The CIB will coordinate between the two agencies to conduct the investigation.”

Mr Khom was a graduate of the Wat Bowonniwet School and recipient of the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand’s scholarship, which boosted his popularity among the public.

Mr Khom followed the teachings of the late Luang Ta Maha Bua of Wat Pa Bantad, well-known for his campaigns to raise temple funds.

The suspect studied and practised Buddhist precepts with the sister of Luang Ta Maha Bua when he was in middle and high school.

While studying at Maha Chulalongkorn Raja Vidyalaya University, he visited Pak Chong district in Nakhon Ratchasima to seek a peaceful location for a retreat. Later, he founded Wat Pa Dhammakhiri.

Phra Khom’s popularity rose in 2021 when His Majesty the King bestowed upon him the title Phra Vajirayankosol, a rank for upper-level priests.

However, ties between Wat Pa Dhammakhiri and the royal family can be traced back to 2013 when Her Royal Highness Princess Aditayadornkitikhun presided over a gold-casting ceremony for the temple’s principal Buddha image.

Phra Khom’s preaching drew a large number of devotees to Wat Pa Dhammakhiri, many of whom were high-profile businessmen, high-ranking government officials, politicians and actors.

He received huge sums of money from his followers to build facilities at the temple.

A source from Nakhon Ratchasima said that a decade before temple construction began, the area in Pak Chong district was a national forest reserve, used by local farmers to grow corn, cassava, apples and rubber trees.

The six-rai of land was later given to the temple before another 30-rai plot was donated by followers. Wat Pa Dhammkhiri’s ongoing construction works have attracted many followers.

“Mr Khom’s staff would tell people not to take pictures in the temple,” a source said. “I did not know the reason [behind] the prohibition.”

Jaturong Jongarsa, a Buddhist scholar, commented on the arrest of the high-profile Phra Khom, saying famous temples are likely to face corruption by insiders.

He said the Sangha Supreme Council should decentralise its authority to agencies at provincial, district or even sub-district levels to help tackle such corruption problems.

Mr Jaturong pointed out that many Buddhist temples in Thailand are competing to build bigger Buddha images or buildings to attract more followers, which some regard as the commercialisation of Buddhism.

If the abbots get promoted, more people will devote themselves to the temples and the abbots themselves will receive more religious engagements, further boosting temple funds, he said.

“The Sangha Supreme Council and Department of Religious Affairs should review their policies and be more proactive into their probes of a temple’s [financial] affairs,” he said.

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