Govt wary on Supreme Patriarch

Wissanu was responding yesterday to the Sangha Supreme Council’s (SSC) decision to nominate Somdet Phra Maha Ratchamangalacharn as the Supreme Patriarch.

Somdet Phra Maha Ratchamangalacharn, the 90-year-old abbot of Wat Pak Nam Phasi Charoen, also known as Somdet Chuang, has been allegedly involved in luxury car tax evasion.

The monk is also alleged to have close ties with Phra Dhammachayo, the abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, who was linked to an embezzlement scandal at the Klongchan Credit Union Co-operative connected to its former chairman, Supachai Srisupa-aksorn. Supachai donated Bt12 billion to the temple. 

The SSC ruled in February last year to clear Phra Dhammachayo of any wrongdoing and that the monk did not need to be defrocked.

Wissanu said the Prime Minister was not concerned about the SSC’s nomination. Wissanu said he had not personally received the nomination but had been told by PM’s Office Minister Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana, who oversaw the SSC, that the nomination had been received.

“If a conflict about the nomination brings about violence or court cases, how can we seek royal approval?’’ he said.

Former National Reform Council member Paiboon Nititawan denied that he attempted to block the nomination of Somdet Chuang, saying he only petitioned the Department of Special Investigation to check the luxury car tax evasion allegation. He said this was to create transparency before the nomination and would help reduce conflicts about the monk.

Suwapan said he would hold an informal meeting of concerned parties regarding SSC’s nomination today.