Senior Buddhist Monk in Thailand Arrested for Embezzlement and Misconduct > 월드뉴스

Police in Thailand have arrested Phra Wachirayan Wi, a 66-year-old abbot of the Wat Phutthaisawan temple in Ayutthaya, on charges of embezzlement and money laundering. The arrest occurred on Thursday, alongside a 47-year-old woman suspected of being his accomplice. This case follows a previous scandal involving senior monks that led to public outrage and demands for increased oversight of temple finances. Investigators began looking into Phra Wachirayan in mid-July after receiving an anonymous tip regarding his alleged misconduct and misuse of temple funds.

The police discovered that approximately 89 million baht, or about $2.7 million, was donated for renovations at the temple, and an additional 2.8 million baht was collected for Buddhist amulets and sacred items. However, none of this money was deposited into the temple's accounts. Authorities have seized assets worth around 215 million baht, which includes gold bars and land title deeds, as they work to determine which assets belong to the monk personally and which are temple property. The abbot has been defrocked following his arrest, and police are expanding their investigation to restore public confidence in Buddhism.