Bangkok: Authorities have initiated an investigation into allegations of fraudulent behavior by Dr. B regarding donations made to Wat Phra Bat Nam Phu. The Deputy Commander of the Crime Suppression Division has indicated that Dr. B’s actions might be fraudulent, yet a thorough examination of his intentions is imperative. Clarifications are being sought from Wat Phra Bat Nam Phu concerning the donations received and the amounts withdrawn from Dr. B’s account. Presently, this matter is under a fact-finding investigation and has not escalated to a legal case.
According to Thai News Agency, Police Colonel Anek Taosuphap, Deputy Commander of the Crime Suppression Division, disclosed that Mr. Seksan, also known as “Mor B,” a spirit medium, provided investigators with information at the Central Investigation Bureau. This pertains to the opening of a donation account for the temple under his name. A complaint was lodged in early March after suspicious withdrawals were noticed from Dr. B’s account, which had been accepting donations since 2017 via the “Ngong Ngai Style Mor B” page. The withdrawals, allegedly for temple expenses, totaled over 200 million baht across 101 transactions, with discrepancies such as a 3 million baht withdrawal, of which only over 1 million baht reached the abbot.
Dr. B presented himself today without prior notification to investigators, filing a report and asserting his willingness to cooperate with the investigation. He submitted documents to the investigators and stated that he had no intention of fleeing as rumored in the news.
When questioned about potential fraud, Pol. Col. Anek emphasized the importance of assessing intent. While acknowledging the likelihood of fraudulent activity, he noted that the account was ostensibly opened for temple business but was used to accept donations.
The temple has yet to file a police report against Dr. B, opting to first conduct a detailed internal investigation. Should the abbot decline to file a complaint, investigations could still proceed based on donor reports. The abbot, as an official, must adhere to procedures, and any irregularities could lead to consequences.
Close relatives of the abbot and committee members involved in accepting temple donations have been questioned due to reports of unusual wealth. The Crime Suppression Division commander has shown interest in the case, dispatching officers to meet with the monk at the temple.
The current investigation is centered on whether funds meant for temple activities were misappropriated for personal use. Dr. B has provided preliminary information to investigators for over three hours, with inquiries still ongoing.