Crime
Temple Treasurers Homes Raided to Recover Embezzled Cash
Police investigating the embezzlement of approximately US$3million from a local temple in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand on Tuesday. Police raided several houses and impounded valuable amulets, along with assets from the temple treasurers.
Pol Maj Gen Charoonkiat Pankaeo, commander of the Counter Corruption Division, and about 60 police raided four houses in Nakhon Sawan to try to reclaim the money stolen from Wat Huai Duan.
He said that one of the houses belonged to 66-year-old Mr. Sanoh Thongpron, the head treasurer, at Wat Huai Duan.
The property contained a single-story house, a cottage, pig stalls, a van, a van with multiple purposes, and a sedan.
The police found more than 10,000 Buddha amulets inside the house, many of them made of gold, worth between US$6000 and US$9000 each. Additionally, they seized ten title deeds representing about 300 rai of land, about US$30,000 in cash, and also four guns.
The raids came after the disciples of Luang Phor Phat Panyakamo, the abbot of the temple, filed a complaint alleging that the temple’s treasurers cheated the temple out of more than US$3million in donations in 2020 and 2021.
Investigators found that Mr. Sanoh and two women, Chanya Phetsaibua, 57, and Booncherd Sukjit, 58, transferred about US$1.8million from the wat’s account to their own accounts.
The elderly temple abbot reported that some cash had been returned to the temple’s accounts.
Pol Maj Gen Charoonkiatsaid the raids on Tuesday were part of a process to recover the remaining embezzled funds.
The search also included the residences of two women and a man identified as Kimhan Talapnak, 32. A total of US$100,000 in cash and additional assets were impounded as evidence.
The commander said police would examine the source of the impounded assets and ask more questions of the four suspects.
Buddhism’s view of how criminals should be treated
Buddhism teaches that all people should show loving-kindness and compassion, but accepts that some do wrong, misuse their free will, and cause suffering to others.
In Buddhism, the Five Precepts serve as guidelines for living a meaningful life. Buddhism forbids a number of things, including taking life, taking what is not given, and sexual misconduct.
Buddhists follow the Eightfold Path towards enlightenment. Committing a crime against these teachings or guidelines would be against Buddhist beliefs. Buddhists believe that “intentional actions” result in karma. Negative actions accrue discrediting merit.
Buddhists believe that they will be reincarnated as something enlightened each life and eventually reach enlightenment if they follow Samsara. Many Buddhists believe that they have a duty to protect society’s weak and will not commit crimes.
Although most Buddhists believe criminals should be punished, they have strong views about punishment in this world:
- Putting an offender under inhumane conditions does not solve their behaviour or those of humanity in general – reform is the best solution
- The offender should be punished only enough for him to make amends, and his rehabilitation in society should be a priority
- Both the criminal and the person administering the punishment suffer damage when an offender is punished with excessive cruelty
- Buddhists should be compassionate because it is impossible to administer severe punishment with compassion
- Someone who has committed a serious crime may be expelled from the community or country for the sake of society’s safety
Buddhists’ responses to crime in society and those who commit it?
Prisoners’ welfare is a concern for many Buddhists. For instance, they may campaign for reform of the prison system, visit prisoners, or vote for a political party that reflects their views on justice and treating people equally.
Buddhas are also taught to show compassion and forgiveness to others, and they aim to show love and kindness to everyone, including those who have committed a crime.
