Police Haul Away Massive Cache From Arrested Former Abbot
A former Buddhist abbot arrested in Ayutthaya was brought for questioning on September 11 after police seized massive amounts of cash and assets requiring four vehicles to transport, with officials needing multiple bill counters just to tal
On September 11, 2025, police brought in Somchai (formerly Phra Vachiryanan, or Luang Pho Choti), 66, the former abbot of Wat Phut Thai Sawan in Ayutthaya province, to the Crime Suppression Division for additional questioning. When reporters attempted to ask if he wanted to apologize or had anything to say to society, or if he was feeling stressed, Somchai gave only a brief reply: "It's ordinary," before being taken upstairs. Police also transported the seized assets from Somchai, requiring four vehicles to carry them: one multipurpose vehicle, one sedan, one pickup truck, and one van. Officials explained the late arrival was due to the time needed to count the massive amounts of cash, which required four mechanical bill counters. The volume of cash was so large that two of the counters malfunctioned during the counting process, illustrating the sheer quantity that officers had to meticulously verify before proceeding with standard procedures.
