Former Senior Monk Acquitted of Money Laundering, Ordered to Repay 5 Million Baht
Thailand's Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases has finalized its verdict against former senior monk Phra Phrommethi, dismissing money laundering charges but ordering him to repay 5 million baht in misused temple education funds. The 85-year-old former Supreme Sangha Council member fled to Germany for seven years before returning in 2025 to face trial. With no appeals filed after the April 2026 ruling, the case is now legally closed.
The Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases has issued a final judgment certificate dated November 7, 2026, confirming that Criminal Case No. Black 162/2025, Red No. 44/2026, between the Special Prosecutor's Office, Division 2, as plaintiff, and Phra Phrommethi (Chamnong Thammacharee or Iam Inthara) as defendant, concerning malfeasance in office and violations of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, has reached a final conclusion. The court delivered its verdict on April 2, 2026, and no party filed an appeal.
The certificate was issued because neither party appealed after the court's verdict on April 2 against former Phra Phrommethi, also known as Phra Chamnong Thammacharo, aged 85, former assistant abbot of Wat Samphanthawongsaram and former member of the Supreme Sangha Council. He was accused in the 'temple change money' corruption case involving educational funding for the General Ecclesiastical Education Program in 2018. He was charged with assisting National Office of Buddhism (NOB) officials in committing budgetary offenses and money laundering.
The court dismissed the charge of assisting in malfeasance. Regarding money laundering, the court ruled that the former Phra Phrommethi did not know the funds were from the NOB's General Ecclesiastical Education Program budget, consistent with his defense that he opened the deposit account labeled 'Sala Construction Fund' and used it to build a pavilion, indicating he believed the 5 million baht was for constructing a multipurpose sala. However, the court deemed it appropriate to order him to return the 5 million baht to the NOB as requested by the plaintiff, because the funds were used for purposes other than intended.
The former Phra Phrommethi became a suspect in the temple corruption case involving educational subsidies in 2018 and fled to Germany for seven years before returning to Thailand on June 5, 2025, to face legal proceedings. He fought the case until the court dismissed the charges on April 2, 2026, leading to the final judgment certificate issued on November 7, 2026, due to the lack of any appeal.
