Thailand Advances Phase 2-3 of 'Monk Chot – Nun Eh' Case Following New AMLO Information

Police Lieutenant General Nattasak Chaowanasai, Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), announced the progress of the investigation into the case of Wat Phutthaisawan Royal Monastery in Ayutthaya province, following the arrest of Mr. Chot and Mrs. Eh. He stated that while cash was seized at the time of arrest, funds in the bank accounts of the two individuals have not yet been frozen. The police have sent information to the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to investigate the financial transactions. Initial investigations revealed that Mr. Chot has approximately 300 million baht in his bank accounts. The police are currently awaiting information from AMLO, which has the authority to investigate and process financial transactions. The police are preparing to proceed to the next phases of the investigation, Phase 2 and Phase 3, upon receiving the relevant information from AMLO. Police Lieutenant General Nattasak further stated that the investigation by the CIB will focus specifically on criminal charges, particularly concerning the abbot accused of embezzling temple assets. Other behaviors or issues outside the scope of criminal charges will be forwarded to relevant agencies for investigation according to their authority. Regarding the current public discussion on social media about Wat Chulamanee, Police Lieutenant General Nattasak said that any complaints received will be taken as information and investigated. Similar to the Wat Phutthaisawan case, the police conducted investigations and found evidence confirming wrongdoing, leading to legal proceedings. However, he clarified that for the Wat Chulamanee case, there is currently insufficient clear information or evidence to confirm that wrongdoing has occurred. Therefore, the police cannot take any action based solely on discussions circulating on social media, emphasizing that investigations must be based on facts and evidence. Police Lieutenant General Nattasak urged the public to distinguish between religion and individual behavior, assuring that police operations are strictly based on evidence and facts to ensure legal proceedings are conducted correctly. He reiterated that the actions are not against religion or religious organizations but are investigations into individual behavior when there is information and evidence related to criminal acts. Information Source: INN News