A high-ranking monk from Wat Rai Khing temple is suspected of transferring funds to online casino accounts.

High-ranking monk accused of embezzling 300 million baht from famous temple

A scandal involving the alleged embezzlement of funds from the famous Wat Rai Khing Buddhist temple located in Nakhon Pathom province is gaining momentum in Thailand. Phra Thamma Wachiranuwat, the temple’s 70-year-old abbot, appeared at the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) in Bangkok to testify after he was accused of embezzling 300 million baht. According to investigators, the money may have been used for gambling.

A senior police source said the crime squad had earlier received a complaint about the embezzlement of funds from the temple. During an eight-month investigation, the undercover police found that the rector was transferring money from the temple account to his personal account. The funds were then transferred to the account of a woman suspected of having links to gambling websites.

According to investigators, about 300 million baht was transferred from the temple account to the abbot’s account over the past five years. Detectives also uncovered financial transactions worth at least 500 million baht between the abbot’s account and the accounts of gambling websites.

The investigation found that due to a lack of funds at the temple, the abbot began borrowing large sums from senior monks from other temples, often involving six- and seven-figure sums in Thai baht. The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Abuse approved the police’s request for an arrest warrant.

Phra Thamma Wachiranuwat is charged with abuse of office and embezzlement of funds committed while serving as a regional Buddhist official. The woman, identified in the case as Aranyawan, was arrested last year on suspicion of involvement with the gambling website Lagalaxy911 but was later released on bail.

Wat Rai Khing, which is more than a hundred years old and located in Sampkran district of Nakhon Pathom province, is a popular pilgrimage site for Thais and foreign tourists who come to pray and receive blessings. This fact adds a special poignancy to the scandal as the temple is known for its history and large flow of pilgrims. The investigation into the case is ongoing.

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