Thailand shuts temple鈥檚 TV channel amid scandal
Print Edition
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.
Police are reluctant to raid the super-rich temple’s 400-hectare compound after previous attempts saw thousands of devotees of the breakaway order turn out to defend the 72-year-old monk.
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 to expire.
But the stand-off has heated up in recent weeks, with authorities leveling 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 yesterday.
Colonel Paisit Wongmuang, chief of Thailand’s Department of Special Investigations, accused the temple of using its media arm to lure supporters to the compound and thwart police’s attempted raids.
The Dhammakaya Media Channel broadcasts across continents and airs everything from meditation teachings to cartoons and daily news.
The temple denies any wrongdoing and says it will fight the order. Critics accuse the sect of propagating a cult-like brand of Buddhism promising benefits in the afterlife in exchange for donations.
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