Deportation for founder of dubious temple

A Bangkok businessman being sought by Interpol is to be deported back to Thailand today, after masterminding a scam involving nearly 300 Thai overstayers and founding a suspicious Buddhist temple in Auckland.

Nuttapat Tamaraksaroj was taken to Auckland Airport by police yesterday, but his plane to Thailand was delayed overnight because of a mechanical failure.

At the airport to farewell him were a Buddhist monk and a Thai woman who said she was a friend and that he was innocent.

Airport police would not let them see Nuttapat.

"He never took money from Thai people or Income Support," said the woman, who called herself Nok.

In limited English, she said Nuttapat was "very poor" and had helped Thai people to come here because in Thailand Buddhists faced danger from Muslims.

The Herald last year revealed how he and two disgraced monks established a temple in New Lynn to help overstayers remain in New Zealand by claiming religious asylum.

Nuttapat had tried to claim refugee status in New Zealand, saying he faced persecution if he returned to Thailand.

But the Refugee Status Appeals Authority rejected his application.

The authority decision says he worked for two Thai fisheries companies and was accused of defrauding seafarers by promising them work overseas for advance payments, but not providing the work.

Arrest warrants were issued and he came to New Zealand, flying between Thailand, Hong Kong and New Zealand several times.

He told authorities here the warrants were unfounded and that the Thai Government had targeted him.

But the authority found no evidence that he faced persecution in his home country. It said Nuttapat's fear of persecution did not stop him returning to Thailand for a trip.

The Herald uncovered company records and documents showing he set up companies in New Zealand and then investigated bringing Thai workers here.

Several years ago, he and a Wellington man tried to set up a fishing company intending to buy a fishing boat. The company went into liquidation owing creditors $17,000.

Nuttapat set up another company in Auckland, Thammagay Immigration, and turned a New Lynn property into a makeshift Buddhist temple, called the Wat Thai Temple.

The authority's decision said Nuttapat's application could be regarded as an "abuse of the determination process".