Khon Kaen: Ajarn Link, a disciple of the abbot of Wat Pa Wang Nam Yen, has taken legal action against a well-known social media page, local journalists, and individuals who shared and commented on the page. The accusations involve claims of his involvement in a grey business, which he asserts have negatively impacted his family, with his children expressing fear of attending school.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Chanawut Utho, also known as Ajarn Link, is a renowned amulet expert and a disciple of Ajarn Suriyan Kosapanyo, the abbot of Wang Nam Yen Temple in Maha Sarakham Province. Alongside his lawyer, he presented evidence, including posts from the social media page, local journalists, and Facebook comments, to Khon Kaen City Police Station. The complaint accuses these parties of entering false information into a computer system, relating to allegations of grey business involvement and money laundering without a clear source of income.
Before filing the complaint, Mr. Chanawut held a press conference, stating that the accusations had led to his son fearing ridicule from peers at school. He emphasized that he is willing to undergo any investigation and denied involvement in grey business or online gambling. He suggested that the allegations might be politically motivated, following his announcement to run for MP in the next term.
Mr. Chanawut clarified that he has no close relationship with Noom Kanchai Kamnerdploy, despite having spoken briefly on the phone during the Luang Pu Saeng incident. He maintains Noom Kanchai's contact number on his phone.
Surachet Prasomsri, Mr. Chanawut's lawyer, declared that the charge of importing false information under the Computer Crime Act is non-negotiable. The legal team plans to claim damages, seeking 10 million baht from the individual who posted the main message and 1 million baht from those who commented, shared, or forwarded the false information.
At Wat Phutthawonaram (Wat Pa Wang Nam Yen) in Maha Sarakham, Mr. Somporn Chan-ud, Director of the Maha Sarakham Provincial Office of Buddhism, visited but stated he could not perform an in-depth inspection. His role is limited to providing guidance on the temple's operations in line with the Sangha Supreme Council's regulations.
Phra Ratchawachirapannaphon (Suriyan Kosapanyo), assistant abbot of Wat Mahachai Royal Monastery and head monk of Wat Phutthawanaram, expressed a desire for media scrutiny of both social media pages involved. He urged them to bring evidence and held the pages accountable for repeated unfounded allegations. The temple reported both pages to the police, but initial checks revealed they are not based in Thailand. Phra Ratchawachirapannaphon appealed to society to address these issues responsibly and not allow the temple to be unfairly criticized.