Thai police fail to arrest abbot accused of embezzlement as thousands of devotees ‘block’ compound
Monk’s whereabouts unknown after hours of searching, but he is unlikely to have fled far, authorities say
Thai police entered a sprawling Buddhist temple complex on Thursday, wading through thousands of devotees camped on the grounds, to arrest a popular abbot accused of embezzling US$40 million.
The operation at Wat Dhammakaya, a monastery north of Bangkok known as one of the wealthiest in Thailand, began at 5am and was broadcast live on TV in a dramatic climax to a months-old stand-off.
But by early afternoon, the police conceded defeat, saying they have been stopped by devotees from searching some buildings in the 400-hectare compound where they thought the abbot might be.
Abbot Phra Dhammachyao, accused of money laundering and links to embezzling 1.4 billion baht (US$40 million) from a now defunct credit union, has brazenly rejected police demands to report for questioning. He has barricaded himself inside his temple, ignoring three summonses and an arrest warrant. He has avoided arrest for over two months, claiming he was too ill to report for questioning.
It is the latest in several scandals in recent years that have cast a shadow over the Buddhist clergy in Thailand.
Nine hours after the raid began, police told reporters that search and arrest warrants had been served but they were still looking for the abbot.