Thai police have arrested Phra Wachirayan Wi, a former abbot of the 14th‑century Wat Phutthaisawan in Ayutthaya, over allegations that he embezzled 100 million baht – roughly $3 million – from temple donations.
Witnesses say the monk pocketed money on more than twenty separate occasions over a two‑year period, diverting funds earmarked for temple renovations and for the sale of amulets and other sacred items.
During a raid of his residence, police seized large amounts of cash, gold bars and jewellery worth an estimated 6 million baht, and they discovered CCTV footage showing him engaging in sexual activity with his alleged female accomplice, Punyavee Rungrueang.
Punyavee, who is 47, has been arrested on charges of assisting a state official with illicit activities; she owned substantial gold amulets and jewellery seized at her home.
The monk was already defrocked after his arrest and has not yet made a public statement. The investigation points to the possibility of a wider network, with the police indicating that two or three other individuals may have been involved.
Thai monastic institutions have faced long‑standing criticism for violations of celibacy vows, drug trafficking, and financial fraud. In July last year the government opened a hotline for citizens to report misbehaving monks after nine were implicated in a sex‑and‑blackmail scandal that generated nearly $12 million in ransom.
