Summary
- An official from a well-known Buddhist temple in Thailand recently surrendered to authorities.
- A law enforcement investigation claims that the 70-year-old abbot embezzled 300 million baht over five years.
- The abbot is facing charges, and a second suspect was recently detained.
An elderly abbot from a century-old Buddhist temple in Thailand surrendered to authorities late last week. The regional Buddhist official faces accusations of embezzling millions of baht from the temple, with suspicions that the funds were used for gambling.
Law enforcement investigated the Buddhist official for eight months
According to the Bangkok Post, Phra Thamma Wachiranuwat, the abbot of Wat Rai Khing in Nakhon Pathom province, surrendered to authorities last Thursday. The 70-year-old appeared at the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) early that morning following the issuance of an arrest warrant. This warrant was the result of an investigation into the alleged embezzlement of temple funds. Police reportedly spent eight months investigating the abbot, employing undercover officers during their probe. The investigation revealed that he had been diverting money from the temple's bank account into his own personal account. Further, it is alleged that he then transferred the embezzled funds to a woman's account. A 28-year-old woman has been identified and arrested in connection with these activities. She had previously been arrested in 2024 for involvement with a gambling website.
The abbot is suspected of embezzling $9m over five years
According to the law enforcement investigation, the abbot is suspected of embezzling approximately 300 million baht, equivalent to over $9 million. The illegal activities are believed by police to have been ongoing for at least five years. The 70-year-old Buddhist leader allegedly used the funds for online gambling, with assistance in the bank transfers provided by a 28-year-old woman. This woman is also suspected of having connections to gambling websites. It is uncertain if the 28-year-old woman faces any charges. Meanwhile, the elderly abbot, a government-appointed regional Buddhist official, is facing charges of malfeasance and embezzlement. It is alleged that after the temple's bank account began to diminish, the abbot requested money from officials at other temples. It is not yet confirmed if he received any funds. Additionally, it remains unknown how much of the 300 million baht was lost to gambling.
