Court Upholds Conviction of Abbot for Embezzling Temple Funds
Thailand's Supreme Court upheld the conviction of a Buddhist abbot in Ayutthaya for embezzling over 92 million baht in temple funds and laundering money through associates.
Thailand's Supreme Court has upheld a conviction in case number 3583/2565 against Phra Wachiryan (lay name Atichoat Thamvaro), abbot of Wat Phutthai Sawan in Ayutthaya province. He was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Division following a court warrant dated 8 September 2026. The abbot faced charges of embezzlement, abuse of authority, dereliction of duty, and money laundering, after authorities discovered he had diverted over 92 million baht in temple funds for personal use and funneled it through associates for money laundering. According to the Sangha Act of 1962, section 45, Buddhist monks holding administrative positions are considered state officials under criminal law. The court found that when the abbot used his authority to embezzle state budget funds and commit money laundering, he acted as a state official committing misconduct. The Supreme Court determined he violated sections 5(1), (2), and 9 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 1999. Under section 11 of the same act, the court imposed penalties three times the standard sentence for his offenses.
