DSI chief Pol Colonel Paisit Wongmuang told reporters the agency was ready to arrest the controversial monk.

He said the monk’s request for an immediate release on bail was off the table, as the DSI no longer had authority to grant that because the case had been passed to public prosecutors, so that decision would rest with a court.

Paisit said a public prosecutor was slated to decide whether to indict suspects including Phra Dhammachayo on Wednesday.

Phra Dhammachayo faces an arrest warrant for alleged money laundering and accepting ill-gotten gains linked to the embezzlement of billions of baht from Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative by its former chairman Supachai Srisupa-aksorn. Supachai was jailed for 16 years earlier this year.

Five aides ‘too busy’ to meet

Paisit said the DSI summoned five monks who were close aides of Phra Dhammachayo to testify yesterday about their responsibilities in regard to the temple’s administration and finances. But the five claimed they could not attend because of a religious ceremony.

The five monks asked for their testimony to be postponed until July 21 or 22, he said.

Head of the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo)’s Law Division Wittaya Nititham said Amlo chief Pol General Chaiya Siriamphunkul had ordered the agency’s officials to proceed with a confidential probe of Dhammakaya Temple’s assets and financial transactions, as requested by the DSI.