Over two billion dollars under scrutiny in temple fraud investigation
Thai police investigators have discovered that over 2 billion baht was circulated across 84 bank accounts linked to the high-profile embezzlement case at Wat Rai Khing in Nakhon Pathom.
In a recent update on this ongoing case, a team of investigators led by Central Investigation Bureau Deputy Commissioner Pol Maj Gen Charoonkiat Pankaew revealed their findings.
Pol Col Chamnan Chanthes, commander of the Anti-Corruption Division's 5th subdivision, stated that the police have scrutinized 51 bank accounts belonging to the temple and its foundation, along with 21 personal accounts associated with the former abbot, Phra Thamma Wachiranuwat (now known as Yaem Inkrungkao), who is in custody. Furthermore, 12 accounts belonging to Aranyawan Wangthapan, a 28-year-old woman believed to be an online gambling broker, were also investigated.
According to Pol Col Chamnan, over 2 billion baht in transactions took place across these bank accounts from 2016 until the present. The investigation has focused on transactions primarily within Ms. Aranyawan's accounts, which were found to have been transmitted through four main channels: cash deposits into her accounts, direct transfers from the former abbot, transfers from a former monk and close ally of the former abbot named Ekkapot Phukhang, and transfers from the husband of a woman known as "Toey," who is accused of overseeing all temple finances. It is believed that she channeled the temple's income into private resort and music label businesses in Mukdahan province.
Pol Lt Col Siripong Sritula, assistant secretary-general of the Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission, also reported irregularities in several transactions within the temple's bank accounts. For example, the temple usually receives around 30 million baht in income from vendor rental fees during its annual fair. However, since 2020, Pol Lt Col Siripong stated that approximately 200 million baht from rental fees were paid directly to the former abbot, and around 20 million baht from donations for kathin monk robe-presentation ceremonies were transferred to his personal accounts.
To date, three individuals—the former abbot, Ms. Aranyawan, and Mr. Ekkapot—have been arrested. The embezzlement case at Wat Rai Khing has shed light on a significant breach of trust within Thailand's religious community and is currently under ongoing legal proceedings.
The ongoing embezzlement case at Wat Rai Khing has exposed breaches in banking and insurance sectors, as investigations reveal over 2 billion baht was circulated across bank accounts, including those linked to the former abbot, Phra Thamma Wachiranuwat, and a suspected online gambling broker, Aranyawan Wangthapan. The case, now under legal proceedings, also highlights political and financial connections, with irregularities found in the temple's transactions, such as an unusual diversion of rental fees and donations. Consequently, general news and crime and justice sectors have gained significant attention due to this high-profile case, shedding light on the interplay between both the religious and financial industries and politics in Thailand.
