Will making merit save them?

So, Matichon online decided to investigate and discovered that the images may have come from an event held at Wat Phra Dhammakaya London in Surrey on October 10.

It reported that Thaksin, Pojaman and their son, Panthongtae, who have been living in exile in Britain since August, were attending the Luang Phu Sodh or Luang Phu Wat Paknaam statue-casting ceremony. The faithful believe that statue casting helps them overcome obstacles, protects them from danger, and even gives them a new life. Besides, the merit earned is almost doubled - or so it is widely believed.

After all, in its dhammakaya.org.uk website, the temple offers free meditation courses, though donations are welcome. Plus, almost as a motto, it promises to help people "Find Centred Peace and a New Life".

Perhaps it is this promise that brought the Shinawatra family to the temple - after all, in their current situation the best thing for them would be to find peace - and maybe a new life.

And it appears as if their prayers were heard almost instantly.

Eleven days after they attended the ceremony, the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Office sentenced Thaksin Shinawatra to just two years in jail, convicting him of violating the National Counter Corruption Act in the Rachadaphisek land-purchase case. And Pojaman was acquitted.

Perhaps the Shinawatras need to make more merit for protection. After all, they still face several lawsuits, with the most important one being the seizure of Thaksin's Bt7.6-billion in assets.

One can't help but wonder if that "new life" would be possible for the Shinawatras if all their riches were to be frozen?