(File photo)The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has formally dropped criminal proceedings against Phra Dhammajayo, the former abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, after the statute of limitations in the high‑profile money‑laundering case expired earlier this month. According to the agency, the case carried a 15‑year statute of limitations counted from the last cheque issued in 2011. With investigators unable to bring the monk before the court within that timeframe, the criminal case expired by law and can no longer proceed. Attempts by officers to enter Wat Phra Dhammakaya in Pathum Thani province were met with mass sit‑ins by followers, blocking access. Some remaining properties — including meditation centres in other provinces and the well‑known “globe-shaped building” inside Wat Phra Dhammakaya — are still undergoing auction procedures.

Source: Bangkok Post March 27, 2026 11:58 UTC