Nakhon sawan: Deputy Commander of the Anti-Corruption Division led a team to inspect the financial documents of “Wat Nakhon Sawan”. Initially, almost all of them have been collected, with a detailed inspection scheduled for tomorrow.

According to Thai News Agency, officials from the Anti-Corruption Commission (AC), the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), and the Nakhon Sawan Office of Buddhism inspected the accounts of Wat Nakhon Sawan after Pol. Maj. Gen. Charoonkiat Pankaew, deputy commander of the Central Investigation Bureau, revealed that there were corruption complaints in two projects related to the former abbot of Wat Nakhon Sawan. Phra Khru Suthi Thammabandit, assistant abbot of Wat Nakhon Sawan, provided the information and led officials to inspect documents inside the temple office, the building that is open for renting sacred objects, and the abbot’s residence.

Pol. Col. Sombat Thai Khieo, deputy commander of the Anti-Corruption Division, stated that he was tasked with inspecting the documents following complaints about temple money and the inappropriate behavior of the former abbot. Initially, all documents related to appointments were collected, detailing who the former abbot appointed and their duties, particularly concerning the temple’s finances and income. The inspection revealed that income was derived from selling sacred objects, cremation services, and renting land and buildings. The assistant abbot guided officials to various locations to evaluate the initial accounts. It was found that numerous documents were present, though some financial records from certain years were incomplete. A thorough inspection and questioning of involved parties, including the temple’s treasurer, will begin tomorrow morning. The review will cover the past 10 years, with the possibility of extending further back if necessary.

The assistant abbot of Nakhon Sawan Temple mentioned that an accounting firm has been handling the temple’s accounts since 2011. Missing documents may have been misplaced, possibly located in the abbot’s quarters or the temple office. He emphasized that they likely haven’t disappeared. He concluded by expressing satisfaction with the official inspection, appreciating the efforts for transparency in management, and expressing gratitude for the assistance in managing the matter.