Thai monk seeks justice for reputation damage after accusations cleared

A revered Thai monk and his supporters are hitting back after accusations of inappropriate behaviour and misconduct have been cleared. The monk, 73 year old Luang Por Wang of Wat Ban Kluey in Nakhon Ratchasima province, along with his nephew, 38 year old Thanawat Saeveekul, filed a complaint with the police after an investigation showed no evidence of misconduct. The monk and his supporters seek justice after accusations against him have damaged his reputation.

Luang Por Wang came under fire when residents accused him of behaving inappropriately, watching pornographic movies, and being found with two women in the bathroom. The monk has strongly denied these allegations and clarified that he only watched Buddha history videos, playing them loudly because of his hearing impairment.

Regarding the bathroom incident, Luang Por Wang admitted to entering the bathroom with Nang Khiew Wan for the purpose of instructing her to clean it due to a blocked drain, but claimed that he was not properly dressed because of an ailment requiring treatment on his buttocks.

In response to allegations of financial mismanagement, Luang Por Wang reportedly proved that funds were used for legitimate temple renovations and labour costs, with documented evidence provided since March 31.

As the investigative committee led by Sophon Pariyattiwitthayan, Chief of Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima District Monks, concluded that there was no wrongdoing on Luang Por Wang’s part, there were no grounds for his defrocking.

Thanawat, the nephew of Luang Por Wang, revealed after meeting with investigators that the truth had come to light, resulting in the monk and his close associates seeking legal guidance to clear his name. He expressed the hope that the authorities would help them uncover the truth, with the lingering suspicions requiring further examination.

Investigators initially questioned Luang Por Wang and learned that the local police were handling the case and it was still in progress. They advised the monk and his supporters to wait for the investigation to conclude.

Last week, it was reported that villagers found more than 100 porn DVDs hidden away when cleaning the abbot’s residence.

The villagers expressed their disappointment in the district chief’s investigation, as they thought it deviated from the truth and may have protected the former abbot, despite the presence of clear evidence against him. As a result, villagers called for the former abbot to be stripped of his monastic status and demanded the district chief review the punishment once again.