SUPPORTERS of acting Supreme Patriarch Somdej Chuang have threatened to mobilise Buddhist monks to protest again if the government continues to delay seeking royal endorsement for Somdej Chuang’s nomination to become the country’s top monk.

Wat Paknam’s legal team said on Sunday that it should receive a letter from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) today to summon Wat Paknam abbot Somdej Chuang for questioning over an illegal classic Mercedes-Benz that was registered under his name.

Where the questioning takes place would be up to the DSI, said Supapatpoch Nitisathorn, who works on the legal team.

He said he knew nothing about a senior monk at the temple who reportedly contacted the DSI to collect the car, adding that the temple would co-operating with the DSI if it wished to impound the car in accordance with the law.

The car scandal has reportedly hurt Somdej Chuang’s chance to officially become the Supreme Patriarch. Although the Supreme Sangha Council (SSC) has nominated him for the post, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has not yet forwarded his name for royal endorsement.

The DSI said it would discuss the car controversy with the Customs Department and submit the probe results to Somdej Chuang and set a time and date to interview him.

National Buddhism Office deputy director Chayapol Pongsida said three monk representatives were appointed by the SSC to discuss the Supreme Patriarch nomination with the government.

They are Phra Phrom Munee of Wat Ratchabopit (Dhammayut sect), Phra Phrom Bundit of Wat Prayurawongsawas (Maha Nikaya sect) and Phra Phrommoli of Wat Pak Nam Phasi Charoen (Maha Nikaya sect).

Chayapol said they would discuss the situation with Prime Minister’s Office Minister Suwapan Tanyuvardhana soon, although they were yet to hear from Suwapan.

The warning that monks may gain protest if the government continues to ignore the nomination was made by Phra Medhi Dhammajahn, who led thousands of monks in a show of support for Somdej Chuang last week.

On his Facebook page on Sunday, Phra Medhi Dhammajahn said the reported invitations for monks to gather yesterday to express their support for Somdej Chuang didn’t come from the Buddhism Protection Centre of Thailand.

He suggested that the rumour of monks gathering reflected the uneasy feeling of monks nationwide over the protracted nomination drama.

“I have already said such a thing will cause more monks to mobilised and stay longer and be more difficult to negotiate with, which is due to anti-trust,” he said in the post.

“Keep your promise and follow the law, then it will end,” he added.

Deputy Minister of Defence General Udomdej Sitabutr, who attended a merit-making ceremony yesterday at Bangkok’s Wat Phichaiyatikaram to mark Makha Bucha Day, said the government wasn’t worried about rumours of monks gathering at Sanam Luang or Nakhon Pathom’s Buddha Monthon park or at Government House to express their stance.

He said the National Council for Peace and Order would carefully ensure public safety and convenience at such sites.

He said he didn’t want any other agenda to be hitched to the agenda on the important religious day.

He hoped everything would be peaceful as the Buddha Monthon event for Makha Bucha was a good activity and the government supported religious activities.

Thai Buddhists yesterday provided food offering to monks, vowed to adhere to the five precepts and performed the Vien Tien candlelight processions around Ubosotat at temples nationwide to mark Makha Bucha Day.

The national holiday is celebrated annually on the full moon day of the third lunar month to commemorate the unscheduled gathering of 1,250 monks in front of Lord Buddha after his enlightenment.