Home Crimes Abbot explains “Boss Paul” donated to Maha Udon, not Wat Sawang

Abbot explains “Boss Paul” donated to Maha Udon, not Wat Sawang

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Abbot explains “Boss Paul” donated to Maha Udon, not Wat Sawang

The abbot of Wat Sawang Nam Sai has clarified that the donations made by “Boss Paul” to Phra Maha Udon are not directly associated with the temple, emphasizing that while Boss Paul has contributed to various constructions, he is not a resident monk of the temple.

Following social media scrutiny over donation slips showing Boss Paul transferring money to a personal account, the temple confirmed that the amounts are significantly less than reported in the media, often below a million baht each year (Read more: Monks clarify the case of “Boss Paul” donating to a personal account). On October 20, 2024, an interview with Phra Khru Srisangworntham, the abbot of Wat Sawang Nam Sai, revealed that it is unknown why Boss Paul chose to make donations to Phra Maha Udon’s personal account rather than the temple’s account. Boss Paul and Phra Maha Udon are familiar, and the latter has been involved in ongoing improvements for the temple.

Donations for temple projects come from sponsors through Phra Maha Udon, with no specific tracking of total donation amounts shared among involved parties. Phra Maha Udon, who has resided at Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen for over 30 years, offers development assistance to his home temple, but he is not officially a monk of Wat Sawang Nam Sai. Again, the entire donation process is highlighted, suggesting that there is no necessity for the temple’s involvement in salary disbursement as the arrangements are informal and managed by Phra Maha Udon.

Regarding Boss Paul’s recent donation of 1.3 million baht for project construction at the temple, the reason for cancellation of a previously planned ceremony was clarified only after the fact. Phra Maha Udon had initially communicated with the relevant parties before the public knew about the financial decision.

In discussions with the headman of Ban Wang Yao, he explained that the abbot had previously indicated using a personal account was more convenient because of the age of those entitled to access the temple’s account. Several community members noted that despite the informality of the donation tracking and project discussions, the funds have been successfully used for various renovations at the temple.

The headman relayed that he had noticed a significant community turnout when Boss Paul came to donate, though initially unaware of his background or significance. Ultimately, the temple has benefited from Boss Paul’s contributions, especially through the diligent development efforts of Phra Maha Udon.

This article was rewritten from a Thairath’s news article.