TWO action plans have been drawn up to deal with Phra Dhammachayo, the fugitive abbot of Wat Dhammakaya in Pathum Thani, by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) based on whether he surrenders or not, former justice minister General Paiboon Koomchaya said yesterday.

Paiboon declined to give details of the plans, but said officers would know by last night which one to implement after a team from the National Office of Buddhism (NOB), which was trying to get the monk to surrender, reported on their latest attempts.

The DSI has been told by prosecutors to bring in Phra Dhammachayo to face charges of money laundering and receiving stolen assets linked to an embezzlement case involving the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative.

Paiboon said the temple’s proposal that Phra Dhammachayo surrender on the condition that he would be released on bail might not be a key point because the DSI had submitted the case to public prosecutors, who will decide if there are grounds to indict the monk. If DSI officers have to go to the temple to arrest the monk, Paiboon said he expected people would understand because officers had to perform their legal duties.

In regards to a claim that Phra Ratchapawanajarn, also known as Phra Thattachivo, who was hit with a police complaint for harbouring a fugitive, was no longer acting abbot, Paiboon said the temple would have to obey the law and monastic regulations.

Deputy police spokesman Krisana Patanacharoen said police would take legal action against Phra Thattachivo on two charges of harbouring a fugitive and negligence in performing his duty. Another source said police were in the process of getting approval from Thanyaburi Court for a warrant to arrest the monk.

Paiboon said he was not sure if officers have to produce evidence to prove that Phra Dhammachayo is at the temple when applying for a search warrant. If the evidence is not required, the DSI should apply for the warrant while working on other matters, he said, adding that an inquiry was underway into whether DSI officers had been involved in the laundering of Klongchan money, which must be clarified to keep the DSI’s credibility intact.

The investigation would “ensure justice for all sides”, he said

Paiboon, who resigned as a minister after he was appointed to the Privy Council yesterday, refused to elaborate on the future of work that was still pending at the Justice Ministry.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said yesterday he believed police and DSI officers had contingency plans to minimise the damage in case of an unexpected turn of events during operations to arrest the abbot. He added that officers had to limit themselves to lawful actions and explain if they fail to arrest the monk.

National police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda said Phra Dhammachayo would not be granted bail if he is apprehended according to a warrant alleging land encroachment in Nakhon Ratchasima because he had been given many chances to surrender but failed to do so.

Chakthip said an arrest would probably be carried out within three months because police believed the monk was still in the temple and hundreds of police were on standby to support a DSI operation.

He reiterated Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s concerns over a possible confrontation because intelligence officials had reported the temple was gathering disciples for a mass prayer, which was unusual. There were not any reports about whether the temple’s followers were armed, he added.

Meanwhile, the temple has installed black netting and security cameras on the Khlong 3 Road bridge leading to the parking lot and posted two monks to stand guard, while police have set up checkpoints outside the temple to screen vehicles going in and out of the compound.