However, senior officials from the 7th Police Region met in Nakhon Pathom province yesterday and decided to defer a decision on summoning the monks.

“The meeting considered investigation reports as well as accounts from concerned officials,” chief of the 7th Police Region, Pol Maj-General Charnthep Salavej said. “We don’t have to rush to a conclusion.”

The monks’ rally on February 15 might have been in violation of a ban on gatherings of more than five people, according to national police deputy spokesman Songphon Wattanachai.

Monks led by Phra Medhi Dhammajahn, secretary-general of the Buddhism Protection Centre, had a minor clash with police officers guarding the park, as they tried to join an event entitled “Thwarting a Plot to Overthrow the Ruling Thai Sangha Body”.

The group was staging the event to show support for Somdej Phra Maha Ratchamangalacharn (Somdej Chuang), who has been nominated by the Sangha Supreme Council for the top monk’s post. Phra Medhi said earlier that if he were charged of gathering illegally, many fellow monks would turn themselves in at the Buddha Monthon Police Station to show support.

“There is nothing wrong about monks coming together for religious activities,” he pointed out.

Somdej Chuang, who is the abbot of Wat Paknam and acting supreme patriarch, is mired in several scandals, including questions about his personal collection of classic cars.

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is currently looking into the matter, and Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya, who oversees the department, said he would allow officials to proceed with the case without any rush.

“There will be no intervention from me, but I will allow DSI chief Paisit Wongmuang to handle the case in accordance with the law and without discrimination,” he said. Paisit said he would seek an appointment with Somdej Chuang to ask him about his car collection within a week.

A DSI source said the cars appear to be illegal because the companies that were listed as importers and assemblers never really existed.