CHIANG RAI — The director of the renowned Baandam Museum (Black Temple) has sacked the site’s general manager following serious financial questions. This decisive termination comes after weeks of unanswered questions regarding the handling of local charity donations.
Dr. Doytibet Duchanee took firm action after internal deadlines passed without any financial clarification. The museum leadership emphasized that public trust and ethical standards must remain uncompromised at all times.
Key Takeaways
- Baandam Museum officially dismissed its general manager on November 1 after 30 days of unanswered financial inquiries.
- The former manager concurrently served as the president of a local emergency rescue charity foundation operating on site.
- Dr. Doytibet Duchanee ordered full forensic audits and pledged immediate legal action against any confirmed wrongdoing.
Unanswered Inquiries Spark Executive Termination
Trouble surfaced when reports suggested that rescue charity executives withdrew substantial sums without providing proper financial statements. Consequently, Dr. Doytibet resigned from his board role at the rescue charity to demand an independent investigation.
The museum administration issued a formal notice on October 1 demanding transparent accounting records. Although officials initially granted a seven-day deadline and later extended it to 18 days, the manager failed to respond.
By the time a full month had elapsed, leadership received no documentation regarding the foundation funds. As a direct result, the cultural institution terminated the manager’s employment contract effective November 1.
Protecting a Half-Century Cultural Heritage
Donation collection boxes for the rescue group had stood on museum premises for over a decade. Visitors from around the world frequently contributed cash to support regional first-responder and disaster-relief operations.
However, rumors of unverified personal withdrawals threatened the hard-won integrity of the estate. The dismissed manager had already stepped down from his foundation presidency in late October to allow an external review.
An interim vice president stepped in to manage the charity while financial investigators examine past ledgers. In the meantime, museum authorities have launched their own rigorous verification of historic collection box revenues.
Dr. Doytibet affirmed that the 50-year legacy of his late father, national artist Thawan Duchanee, cannot be tarnished. He pledged complete cooperation with law enforcement agencies and fiscal regulators to trace all historic cash flows.
Every single baht contributed by generous citizens must be fully accounted for under state transparency guidelines. If formal audits uncover concrete proof of embezzlement, museum leaders will file immediate criminal charges without exception.
