(25 June) The controversial monk who had been much criticized by the public for his luxurious lifestyle and shady financial background has appeared on an advertisement endorsing a brand of air purifier, a revelation that would likely attract further scrutiny to the monk.
Scandals surrounding Luang Pu Nen Kam Chattiko surfaced when he was filmed riding on private jet plane and sporting brand name bag. Soon, it emerged that the monk has been cultivating a network of fervent and wealthy supporters who had donated hundreds of millions of baht to his monastery.
Few years ago, he also started gathering donations for construction of what he called the biggest Emerald Buddha in the world, an enormous statue made of jade. The project is said to cost over 150 million baht and is under final stage of decoration.
Recently it surfaced that he might also serve as a product endorser. In the 6 minute long video on Youtube titled "Experience of Luang Pu Nen Kam Chattiko", the monk could be seen recommending the air purifier manufactured by Thaiunovus company to his spiritual followers. He said the device made the air in his monk residence very fresh and helped keep him in good health.
At one point, Luang Pu Nen Kam even pointed out that the purifier comes with exquisite wooden controller panel "like the one in the Rolls Royce my followers have donated to me". He urged the faithful to donate the air purifiers made by the company to monks around the country because "donating clean air [processed by the machine] to monks is similar to donating medicine to monks".
Speaking to our correspondent, a staff at Thaiunovus said the company has donated one such device to Luang Pu Nen Kam "out of faith". The representative said that the company interviewed the monk so that he could offer his personal experience with the air purifier. He insisted Luang Pu Nen Kam was did not receive any payment in return.
In the meantime, the monk′s Emerald Buddha project might be run into legal complication. Mr. Sahawat Naennar, director of the Department of Fine Arts, told our correspondent that, according to a legislation enacted in 1977, one cannot simply construct a likeness of the Emerald Buddha housed in the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
To do so, he said, one needs authorization from the Office of the Royal Household and His Majesty the King himself. Mr. Sahawat said his department had received no request from Luang Pu Nen Kam about the construction of the imitate Emerald Buddha at his monastery. Therefore, the director said, his office will send a notice to Luang Pu′s temple, advising them to comply with the law.
According to the law, 60 types of Buddha statues required official permit in order to be constructed.
BANGKOK: -- A controversial Si Sa Ket monk appears to have set up a vast number of unauthorised centres around the country and overseas, the National Office of Buddhism chief Nopparat Benjawatt-ananan said yesterday.
The monk, who calls himself "Luang Pu Nenkham", was originally called "Phra Wirapol Sukphol", from a temple in Ubon Ratchathani - Wat Tai Phrachaoyai Ong Teu. His name appeared under a centre that supervises Buddhist monks travelling overseas (sortorpor.org).
The agency's probe found the monk had set up 201 "monasteries"without proper authority. So, the office plans to probe further and take legal action.
The monk came to public attention after a video was posted showing him in a private jet. Now, more YouTube clips have been found - and drawn further criticism, for claiming he has supernatural power. In a sermon at the laying of a foundation of a Vihara to enshrine a replica of the Emerald Buddha at Wat Pa Khantitham in April 2011, he claimed to have contact with supernatural beings. He also claimed to have received over eight tonnes of gold for the replica.
Department of Fine Arts chief Sahawat Naenna said it had sent a letter urging the monk to apply for permission to build the replica, as the Emerald Buddha was first on a list of 61 key Buddha images and permission was required to do that.
Meanwhile, the Facebook "Net-work Against Acts that Destroy King-dom, Religion and Monarchy" urged the Anti Money Laundering Office to probe the assets of Luang Pu Nen-kham network.
If the monk's assets are thought to be suspect, the network's chairman Songkran Atchariyasap urged an immediate freeze on all transactions. He said the group would also file a request to the Crime Suppression Police tomorrow for a similar probe.
(17 June) The monk who has been captured on film traveling on private jet plane is alleged to be the same man that appeared to be sleeping next to a woman in an image widely distributed on the Internet.
The development came just under a day after the Office of National Buddhism (ONAB) announced crackdown on monks who possesses numerous expensive goods. Mr. Nopparat Benjawattananan, director of the ONAB, has previously said that their behavior runs against the Buddhist doctrine of humble monkhood and risks causing widespread disillusion with Buddhism among the general populace.
The crackdown was perhaps partially initiated by video of a monk - equipped with an iPhone and a Louis Vitton bag - riding on a private jetplane. The video has raised furor among many Thai netizens.
Details emerged that the monk in question might be Luang Puu (Elder/Grandfather Monk) Nen Kam Chattiko, a famous monk based in Sisaket province. Although he is described to be merely 36 years old, he fashioned the prefix Luang Puu out of belief that he was an old monk in the past life, while his followers claimed that he often appeared in their dreams as an elder, holy man.
Now, yet another image becomes talk of the town in the Thai social network: the picture showing the man whose appearance closely resembles Luang Puu Nen Kam sleepding next to a woman. Buddhist doctrine forbid monks from touching women, let alone sleeping with one.
Mr. Virord Chaiyapannana, director of Sisaket province′s chapter of ONAB, said that if Nen Kam is indeed the man in the picture, he will certainly be expelled from monkhood.
However, he played down the severity of the case involving monks who travelled on private jet plane (Mr. Virord said he was still not sure if it was Nen Kam in the video). He said monks might need a fast way to commute when they received urgent assignments, and those jet planes might be given to the monks by wealthy templegoers.
"If it′s done for the sake of religious duties, it′s not wrong," Mr. Virord is quoted as saying.
Nonetheless, Mr. Virord said he would investigate the matter, but added that the procedure could run into many obstacles because ONAB officials are often turned away by Nen Kam′s followers at his temple, and details about the monk are somewhat murky.
Our correspondent′s trip to Kantidharma Baan Yang Temple, where Luang Puu Nen Kam is based, has confirmed the nature of secrecy surrounding the monk and his following. Some locals who lived near the temple said they had known about Luang Puu but are reluctant to attend the religious rituals there because the temple looks "fishy".
A local elaborated to our correspondent, saying that the villagers have seen many senior ranking police and military officers visiting the temple. When Nen Kam travels, his motorcade is headed by Highway Police, according to the locals, which led them to believe that the monk is close to very influential figures.
The locals declined to be named in the interviews, citing fear of reprisals.
The temple itself is a large, quiet compound, according to our correspondent. Only 2-3 staff were guarding the temple. No layman or monk or any novice was present.
The entrance of the temple is greeted with Kantidharama Company shop which sells arrays of "magical "amulets. Numerous donation boxes graced the temple pathways, under the gazes from large portraits of Luang Puu Nen Kam which decorated the walls. A green Buddha figure - "the biggest emerald Buddha in the world", according to a temple sign - sits forlornly without any worshiper in the temple.
A staff told our correspondent that Luang Puu is not in the temple at the moment because he has gone to France with 10 of his fellow monks. The staff said she is not aware of the news about Luang Puu Nen Kam′s private jet plane, but said that he regularly arrived at the temple via helicopters, landing on the helipad located just outside the temple.
On the same day, another correspondent was dispatched to a mansion in Ubon Ratchatani province which is believed to be the residence of Nen Kam′s parents and the main office of his charity foundation. The mansion - with the auspicious house number of 999/10 - is easily the biggest residence in the community, our correspondent said. Sport cars and motorcycles could be seen in the mansion′s parking lot.
Ms. Fang Donkaew, a neighbor, said she has not seen Luang Puu visiting the masion for months now. Another neighbor, who declined to be named, said when Luang Puu did visit his parents, his convoy would consist of many expensive cars, with local police officers heading the motorcade.
As our correspondent was examining the area, a woman emerged from the mansion and shut the the large stainless gate. She refused to answer any question, but neighbors told our correspondent she is a sister-in-law of Luang Puu Nen Kam.
发表于 20-6-2013 07:35 PM
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