has been arrested for allegedly pocketing 3.2 million baht
from the budget of a temple in Narathiwat province.
Sathien Damrongrat was captured on Friday after Phra Khru
Borihan Sangathanuwat, secretary of Wat Chontharawas in
Rangae district of Narathiwat, handed him 3.2 million baht
in cash in a Tesco Lotus parking lot in Muang district of
Songkhla.
Songkhla police who had set up the sting apprehended Mr Sathien
as he was about to get into a van with the money, said
Lt Col Korntip Darote, deputy secretary-general of the
Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC).
The joint operation by the PACC, police and Budget Bureau
officials began on Thursday after Mr Sathien telephoned the
monk to tell him that 4 million baht had been wired to the
temple's bank account. The money was intended for the
temple to use for activities to promote the religion.
According to investigators, Mr Sathien
instructed the monk
to keep only 800,000 baht and return the rest to him for
other temples to use. He then set a time and place for
the cash handover.
The monk contacted the Budget Bureau to verify details of
the budget for his
temple. The police and PACC were then
contacted to map out a plan, which
included copying all
of the 1,000-baht banknotes for use as evidence. Mr
Sathien
was charged with abuse of authority and corruption but was
not taken to
the news conference where police displayed
the seized money on Saturday.
Treewit Sriprapa, deputy commander of the
Songkhla police,
said Mr Sathien had denied all charges and said he would
fight
the case in court. However, authorities are continuing
their investigation as
they believe the accused did not act alone.
Pol
Col Treewit said more officials, possibly including some
in senior positions
above Mr Sathien, might have been involved.
He said the PACC had received two
previous complaints that
Mr Sathien had sought a total of 3.7 million baht in
cash from
other temples in the three southern border provinces.
He allegedly
told temple authorities that he could channel
budget funds to them but they
must give him some money
in return, according to Pol Col Treewit.
News,General,Bangkok Post,22 August 2015.
Religion is as a mental for Thai people but nowadays
there are
so many monks who corrupt money from the temple
for the difference amount whether big or small in my
believe.
This lead to the decline in the believe for Buddhism
which
is one point that can lead to less morality and ethics in the society.
This problem must be investigate and solve carefully so
that
Buddhism will still be the mental source for Thai
people.
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