The mystery over the real identity of Luang Phor Alongkot, former abbot of Phra Bat Nam Phu Temple in Lop Buri, has deepened after it has been discovered that there two individuals sharing the name ‘Alongkot Polamuk, the name of the former abbot prior to entering the monkhood.
The other ‘Alongkot Polamuk’ was an official at the Royal Irrigation Department, who passed away two years ago in Pak Hai district of Ayutthaya.
According to the birth certificate, ‘Alongkot’ (the monk) was born on December 9th, 1953, in Photaram district of Ratchaburi, to Soei and Nit Polamuk. He used to work at the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives before entering the monkhood.
The birth certificate of Luang Phor Alongkot shows, however, that he was born on December 1st, 1955, to Sermvit and Wilaiporn Polamuk.
Another birth certificate of an ‘Alongkot Polamuk’ shows he was born on December 9th, 1962 to Sermvit and Wilaiporn Polamuk.
Chalermphol Polamuk, president of the Nithi Thammarak Foundation, claims that the deceased Alongkot was a close relative, adding that it is not unusual for some people to share the same given names and surnames.
The wife of the deceased Alongkot told a Thai PBS reporter that she used to receive telephone bills addressed to Luang Phor Alongkot at her house, but she just assumed that they were wrongly addressed. She also claimed that she has no relative by the name Chalermphol Polamuk.
Deputy commander of the Crime Suppression Division, Pol Col Anek Taosuparb, said they are attempting to determine the true identity of Luang Phor Alongkot and whether the former abbot had misused the identity of the deceased Alongkot.
Meanwhile, the assistant mayor of Khao Sam Yod in Lop Buri has fined Phra Bat Nam Phu Temple 2,000 baht for each of the 20 embalmed corpses of deceased AIDS patients, being kept at the temple, for not disposing of them in a proper manner.
The temple is also under police investigation for alleged misuse of public donations.
