Abbot Arrested for Allegedly Stealing 92 Million Baht From Temple
Police arrested an Ayutthaya temple abbot accused of stealing 92 million baht in donations and transferring the funds to a woman, with security footage allegedly showing him breaching monastic vows.
Police from the Criminal Investigation Division raided Wat Phutthaisawan temple in Ayutthaya on the morning of September 10, 2026, and arrested Abbot Luang Phor Atichoti. Investigators say he illegally diverted approximately 92 million baht in temple funds donated by devotees and transferred them to a female acquaintance in what they suspect was money laundering. Security camera footage has allegedly recorded the abbot in intimate situations with a woman inside the temple quarters, constituting a breach of monastic discipline. The abbot was taken into custody for further questioning at the Criminal Investigation Division, where authorities are examining financial records and investigating possible accomplices involved in the scheme.
