Wat Dhammakaya issued a statement on Friday denying all the charges lodged against its abbot, Phra Thepyarnmahamunee or Phra Dhammachayo, by the Department of Special Investigation.
The statement which was issued by Phra Snidwong Wutthisaro, the director of the Office of Organisational Communications, also appealed for justice from the government and the public.
The DSI has charged Phra Dhammachayo of the charges of money laundering and receiving stolen properties.
The statement claimed that the 72-year old abbot of Wat Dhammakaya has performed good deeds for the society for the past 50 years.
According the statement, Phra Dhammachayo started studying Dhamma in 1963 when he studied at Suan Kularb College and went on studying and practicing meditation a close aide of Luangpor Sod of Wat Paknam Phasicharoen.
While studying economics at Kasetsart University, Phra Dhammachayo never stopped practicing Dhamma on daily basis until he came to know and got familiar with Khunying Prayad Paetpongsavisutthabodi who donated 190-rai plot of land in Klong Luang district of Pathum Thani to Phra Dhammachayo.
Beginning with the 190-raid plot of land, Phra Dhammachayo started building up Wat Dhammakaya in 1970. Today, the temple’s ground has expanded to 2,500 rai.
The statement claimed that the temple under the supervision of Phra Dhammachayo has donated saffron robes to 323 temples every month for the past 12 years and has provided over 30,000 funds for southern teachers.
Wat Dhammakaya denies all charges against Phra Dhammachayo - Thai PBS English News