Thai abbot arrested over temple funds and sex footage
AM730 · 1 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Thai police have arrested Luang Pho Choti, the 66-year-old abbot of Wat Phutthaisawan in Ayutthaya, over allegations that he diverted 92 million baht in temple assets. During a raid on September 10, investigators said they also found surveillance footage from his quarters showing repeated sexual contact with a female disciple, who was later arrested as an alleged accomplice
Key Points
- The case centres on Wat Phutthaisawan, a well-known royal temple in Ayutthaya, where Luang Pho Choti had served as abbot since 2022
- Thailand's Central Investigation Bureau said it received complaints that temple money was transferred into the name of a female disciple to conceal the fund flow
- Investigators alleged the abbot privately issued more than 20 donation receipts in the temple's name over the past two years without authorisation, causing losses exceeding 92 million baht
- Police launched a surprise search at about 6am on September 10 and said footage from the abbot's meditation quarters showed sexual intercourse on a dining table and multiple sexual contacts
- The female suspect, identified as 47-year-old Punyavee Rungrueang, was arrested on suspicion of instigating and assisting unlawful acts by a public official
Why It Matters
Under Thai law, monks who receive state stipends are treated as public officials, so the allegations are being handled as a serious public corruption case rather than only a religious disciplinary matter. For Hong Kong readers, the case underscores how temple donations, religious authority and criminal accountability can become tightly linked when faith institutions handle large sums of money