Thai authorities shut down controversial Wat Dhammakaya temple’s 24-hour TV channel amid scandal
The temple is accused of using its media arm to lure supporters to the compound and thwart police’s attempted raids
Thai authorities have ordered a controversial Buddhist temple to suspend its 24-hour TV channel, as police redouble efforts to arrest the spiritual leader of the scandal-hit sect.
A cat-and-mouse game between investigators and the powerful Wat Dhammakaya temple in Bangkok has staggered on for months over allegations its former abbot accepted illicit funds.
In previous searches we found that the temple has used television as propaganda
Authorities suspect Phra Dhammachayo of accepting embezzled funds worth 1.2 billion baht (US$33 million) from the owner of a cooperative bank who was jailed.
Eager to avoid clashing with devotees on temple grounds, police have repeatedly allowed deadlines for the monk’s surrender expire. But the stand-off has heated up in recent weeks, with authorities levelling new accusations against the well-connected monk and moving to target the temple’s acting abbot for sheltering him.
On Wednesday, Thai broadcasting authorities ordered the temple to suspend its television channel for 15 days, citing “inappropriate” content. The channel appeared to be off the air on Thursday.
Colonel Paisit Wongmuang, chief of Thailand’s Department of Special Investigations (DSI), accused the temple of using its media arm to lure supporters to the compound and thwart police’s attempted raids.