Three complaints of amulet fraud laid against same group

TALISMANS / CONSUMER PROTECTION

Three complaints of amulet fraud laid against same group

The people behind the controversial production of the Phra Somdej Nue Hua amulets were the subject of two earlier complaints alleging fraudulent production of amulets.

Justice permanent secretary Jarun Pukditanakul said yesterday the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) was considering whether to combine the three cases.

The Phra Somdej Nue Hua amulets case came to public attention after the Royal Household Bureau issued a statement denying any involvement in their production.

The bureau asked authorities to look into whether the amulet producers had duped the public into placing orders.

Mr Jarun said the other two cases involved the same group of people.

A source said DSI investigators have found that the producers of the Phra Somdej Nue Hua amulets were earlier accused of producing Phraking Wat Saolin amulets in excess of the number allowed in 2004.

The producers claimed the amulets had the blessing of the Shaolin Temple in China. It was later found that the blessing was obtained in Thailand.

Last year, Wat Suthas Thepwararam complained to the Crime Suppression Division that the producers of Luang Phor Sothorn amulets were defrauding the public by telling them the temple had taken part in the production of the amulets, which was not true.

A key figure in the Phra Somdej Nue Hua amulet case, Sitthikorn Boonchim, was arrested at Suvarnabhumi airport on Saturday night as he was about to board a flight to Japan.

Mr Sitthikorn is president of Diamond Hill Co, which designed and is producing the Phra Somdej Nue Hua amulets. He was charged with violating the Consumer Protection Act through false and misleading advertisements.

He was released on one million baht bail yesterday.

At a press conference he claimed his company had obtained approval from the abbot of Wat Suthas Thepwararam to design and produce the amulets.