DSI conferred with related agencies on the dispute in Hiranyaram Temple (Bang Khlan Temple)

DSI conferred with related agencies on the dispute in Hiranyaram Temple (Bang Khlan Temple)

       On Thursday, March 18, 2021, Acting Sub Lt. Thanakrit Jitareerat (the Secretary to the Minister of Justice) informed an order of the Minister of Justice requesting the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and the Rights and Liberties Protection Department to conduct fact-finding investigation into the dispute in a temple named Hiranyaram (known as the Bang Khlan Temple) located in Pho Thale District, Phichit Province. The Director-General Pol.Lt.Col. Korrawat Panprapakorn then assigned his deputy Pol.Lt.Col. Supat Thamthanarug and the Director of Natural Resources and Environment Crime Bureau Pol.Lt.Col. Amorn Hongsritong with the special case inquiry official team of the DSI to attend the meeting with Mr. Thanchanon Sriaussadawutthakul (the Advisor to the Secretary to Minister of Justice) Mrs. Sujitra Kaewkrai (the Director of Rights and Liberties Protection Division, the Rights and Liberties Protection Department) and representatives of the Phichit Provincial Legal Execution Office, the Phichit Provincial Justice Office, the Phichit Provincial Buddhism Office, the Damrongdhama Center of Phichit Province including the inquiry officials responsible for this case from the Pho Thale Police Station. The meeting discussed the implementation guideline for dispute mediation in the case of Miss Pabhanant Yooyued (the leader of locals) complaining to the Ministry of Justice about the dispute with the Acting Abbot of the Hiranyaram Temple and requesting fairness. The meeting also considered information and the case file to solve the conflict.

       The working group collected information from villagers and the Acting Abbot of the Hiranyaram Temple about the dispute from 2014 to the present. Miss Pabhanant Yooyued as the leader of villagers complained about the 4 following matters: 1. assistance to protect the villagers for being prosecuted; 2. the appointment of the current Acting Abbot replacing the former abbot; 3. Inspection of the temple’s revenue; and 4. the solution to the problem of unable to utilize the temple by the villagers.

       The Acting Abbot of the Hiranyaram Temple elucidated information about the said dispute to the working group that holding the position of Acting Abbot was according to the rules of the Sangha Supreme Council of Thailand as the Sub-District Monk Dean has the authority to appoint the Acting Abbot. The management of the temple therefore is the duties of the Acting Abbot. For the income and expense accounts of the Hiranyaram Temple, they were publicized and posted on the board known by the people and villagers. Moreover, the temple did not prevent villagers from doing religious activities in the temple, but they must follow the procedures and rules of the Hiranyaram Temple.

       The Deputy Director-General Pol.Lt.Col. Supat Thamthanarug informed the meeting that the Director-General’s policy towards the aforesaid dispute is to give fairness to the 2 parties by opening a forum to receive information in order to find a resolution to the dispute. The working group had a resolution that each related agency should implement tasks assigned to it in this case first and the meeting for monitoring the progress of work of all related agencies would be arranged next.

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Dated March 19, 2021