Thai police have arrested former abbot Phra Wachirayan Wi of the historic Wat Phutthaisawan in Ayutthaya for stealing over 100 million baht (about $3 million) from temple donations and for a filmed sexual act with a female accomplice.
Wi, 66, allegedly pocketed funding meant for the temple’s renovations and for purchasing cherished coin‑amulets, with none of the money ever entering the monastery’s coffers. He was defrocked following the arrest and has yet to respond publicly.
Police discovered cash, gold bars and fine jewellery at Wi’s residence, totalling more than 100 million baht. The seized items, labelled as “gold amulets”, were also found at the home of the woman, 47‑year‑old Punyavee Rungrueang, who is accused of assisting Wi with the fraud. She faces charges of abetting a state official in illicit activity.
CCTV footage linked to the case showed Wi engaging in a sexual act on his dining table – a breach of the monk’s vow of celibacy. Similar violations were highlighted last year, when a police hotline received tips about nine monks caught with women, leading to a multi‑million‑dollar blackmail scheme.
The investigation continues to probe for other parties who may have facilitated the embezzlement, with police suspecting that tens of millions of baht circulated through Punyavee’s bank accounts annually.
