Showing 1 - 10 of 20
No police apology for monk's violent arrest
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 28/05/2018
» Nobody doubts why the Crime Suppression Division police had to make the arrest of Phra Buddha Isara, the abbot of Wat Or Noi in Nakhon Pathom, before dawn of May 24 at his living quarters on the temple grounds.
NOB transfer harms govt anti-graft drive
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 11/09/2017
» Pol Lt Col Pongporn Pramsaneh has been widely recognised as an honest and straightforward officer in the Department of Special Investigation – a rare breed in the police force. It explains why he was ordered shifted from the DSI's head of the Tax Litigation Office to lead the National Office of Buddhism (NOB) on Feb 25 by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to do an unenviable mission. His task was to clean up the mess concerning the misappropriation of government funds for the renovation of temples and for schools on temple grounds.
Thaksin tax will need divine intervention
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 20/03/2017
» As a former law student, I had never heard this particular phrase before. It came straight from the mouth of Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, the government's top legal counsel who has served many previous governments in the capacity of cabinet secretary-general because of his extensive legal expertise.
Was the temple mission a success?
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 14/03/2017
» Mission accomplished? Or mission unaccomplished?
Temple raid is once again a shambles
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 27/02/2017
» A friend of mine who was once a senior official in the Religious Affairs Department told me at a reunion of Chulalongkorn University political science old boys on Saturday that he sent a letter to the prime minister with suggestions on how to deal with Phra Dhammajayo, the former abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya. He said he disagreed with the widely-publicised way the government has gone about its latest search of the temple to find the elusive monk, adding it will not work.
Officials may be wishing monk has fled
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 20/02/2017
» Is Phra Dhammajayo, the elusive former abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, still within the vast reaches of 2,300-rai compound of the temple, playing hide and seek with the authorities trying to bring him to the court to face charges ranging from embezzlement and money laundering to receiving stolen property and forest encroachment?
Temple drama a tale of ineptness
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 19/12/2016
» Four warrants to search Wat Phra Dhammakaya during the period Dec 13 to 16 have expired. Both the police and officials of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) simply waited and let the warrants expire, knowing they can get new ones from the court whenever they want.
Phra Dhammajayo: Float like a butterfly
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 28/11/2016
» All of a sudden, in my subconscious, I overheard that famous catch-phrase from "Black Superman", the cheeky song written by Johnny Wakelin: "I'm Ali, catch me if you can". It appeared to blow in from the direction of Wat Dhammakaya, aka the "Flying Saucer" temple in Pathum Thani province.
Will the elusive abbot ever be arrested?
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 21/11/2016
» November the 30th. Mark this date on your smartphone's calendar if you are a fan or a foe of Phra Dhammajayo or Phra Thepyarnmahamunee, the elusive abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya.
Monastic community must get its act together
Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 16/02/2016
» Hands off, and mind your own business! That, in essence, is one of the demands put to the government by a group of monks calling themselves the Sangha and Buddhist Alliance of Thailand and led by Phra Methee Dhammacharn, secretary-general of the Buddhism Protection Centre of Thailand.