Abbot Removed After Call Center Fraud Costs Temple 9 Million Baht
A temple abbot in Chiang Rai was removed after a call center scam cost Wat Mae Kham nearly 9 million baht through hundreds of fraudulent transfers over 18 months.
The abbot of Wat Mae Kham in Mae Chan District, Chiang Rai, has been removed from his position after a call center gang defrauded the temple of 8.7 million baht through 207 fraudulent bank transfers to 66 different accounts between January 2024 and July 2025.
On August 9, Phra Kru Abhiwattawathi, the ecclesiastical district chief of Mae Kham, issued an order suspending Phra Maha Noi Kaew Intpanyo, 64, from his duties as abbot. The order cited his conduct causing damage to temple property and noted that allowing him to remain in position would be harmful. The suspension was authorized under Buddhist monastic law and the Sangha Act.
Simultaneously, the ecclesiastical council of Mae Chan District appointed a replacement abbot. Phra Kru Abhiwattawathi, 54, who holds a master's degree in education and currently serves as the district ecclesiastical chief, was named acting abbot of Wat Mae Kham. He will oversee monks and novices at the temple in accordance with Buddhist discipline and monastic regulations.
