Abbot cancels press conference on controversial amulets

General News - Saturday December 22, 2007

SCANDAL / ROYAL HOUSEHOLD BUREAU COMPLAINT

Abbot cancels press conference on controversial amulets

The abbot of Wat Suthas Thepwararam yesterday abruptly scrapped a press conference he had arranged to explain the controversy surrounding the production of the Phra Somdej Nue Hua amulets. The reason given for the postponement was that he needed to gather more information on the issue to clear up all the misunderstandings.

Nevertheless, a temple source who refused to reveal his name, said the abbot has been under stress and has been unwell since learning about the filing of legal complaints against those involved in the production of the amulets.

Phra Mahasitthichai Atithammo, a monk at the temple, told reporters gathered there that the abbot, Phra Wisutthathibodi, had just returned from an overseas trip on Thursday and was suffering from jet lag and was not ready to speak to the press on the matter.

The temple earlier called a press conference to confirm the amulet producers' claim that they had the blessing of the temple and its Atthama Rachanusorn Foundation for the amulets' production.

Sitthikorn Boonchim, also known as Sia Ood _ a producers' representative, said yesterday he would hold a separate press conference at the office of his Diamond Hill Co today to clarify the situation.

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) recently launched an investigation into the production of the Phra Somdej Nue Hua amulets after the Royal Household Bureau called on the relevant authorities to act against the amulet producers for wrongly claiming that they had the support and approval of the bureau on the matter.

Col Piyawat Kingkate, chief of the DSI special crime division, said the Royal Household Bureau has insisted that it never gave any substance to the producers for use in the production of the amulets, and neither did the producers seek any permission to engrave the Phra Maha Phichai Mongkut, His Majesty the King's grand crown, on the back of the Somdej Nue Hua amulets.

Omsin Chivapruek, the president of Thailand Post Co, whom the amulet producers had contracted as its distribution channel along with two commercial banks, said yesterday that Thailand Post had stopped accepting further orders for the amulets and would scrap all its commercials related to them.

So far, up to 100 million baht worth of orders to buy the amulets through Thailand Post have been placed.

Thailand Post would refund those who have placed advance orders before forwarding the name-list to Diamond Hill Co which is producing the amulets, Mr Omsin said.

Bangkok Post