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Thai police arrested Phra Wachirayan Wi, the 66-year-old former abbot of a historic temple in Ayutthaya, on September 10 for suspected embezzlement of more than 100 million baht, according to the Central Investigation Bureau. Officers simultaneously detained 47-year-old Punyavee Rungrueang, who is accused of assisting in the scheme and concealing the funds through her bank accounts, lead investigator Pattanasak Bupphasuwan said at a news conference the following day. The case centres on donations collected via more than 20 receipts issued in the name of Wat Phutthaisawan, a 14th-century royal monastery, over a two-year span.
None of the money from those receipts, which covered temple renovations and purchases of amulets, reached the institution’s accounts, Pattanasak told reporters, emphasising that the total diverted exceeded 100 million baht. Police recovered cash along with gold bars and jewellery valued at more than 200 million baht from the abbot’s residence during a raid that continued into the night, Bangkok Post reported. Wachirayan, who had taken vows of celibacy and poverty as a Buddhist monk, was also captured on CCTV engaging in sexual activity with Rungrueang, footage that was later leaked to local media.
The discovery of the video prompted additional scrutiny given the strict disciplinary expectations placed on Thailand’s Buddhist clergy. Rungrueang faces charges of abetting a public official in misconduct, with investigators alleging she played a key role in laundering some of the proceeds, a police assessment found. Authorities have not yet determined the final ownership of all seized assets, including 28 land deeds, as the inquiry continues.
This arrest marks the latest in a string of embezzlement cases that have involved senior Thai monks in recent years. In May 2025, police detained the abbot of Wat Rai Khing for allegedly siphoning more than $9 million from temple donations, some of which flowed to an associate linked to online gambling, according to CBS News. A separate probe in August 2025 led to the arrest of Luang Phor Alongkot, founder of a well-known AIDS hospice, on similar charges of misusing donations, an AP News report stated.
The 2025 scandals extended to a sextortion operation involving a woman known as Sika Golf, which resulted in multiple monks disrobing and one former provincial chief receiving a 12-year prison term in July for diverting 3 million baht, Bangkok Post reported. Seven monks faced accusations in 2023 of embezzling over $5 million from a temple in Nakhon Ratchasima, where hidden jewellery and cash were unearthed in raids, according to an AP News article from the time. Such cases have, according to local media coverage, intensified discussions about financial oversight at temples that rely on public donations.
Central Investigation Bureau commissioner Natthasak Chaowanasai stated that the investigation would expand to uncover any further accomplices while aiming to rebuild trust in Buddhist institutions. Police are reviewing additional bank transactions and potential links to other parties connected to the temple. Wachirayan has since disrobed, as is required before monks can face formal charges in Thai courts.
