# The abbot, the gold bars and the CCTV clip

> Thai police say a celebrated monk funnelled $3m in temple donations into his own home, and his own security cameras helped catch him.
- Title: The abbot, the gold bars and the CCTV clip · BBC News
- Summary: Thai police say a celebrated monk funnelled $3m in temple donations into his own home, and his own security cameras helped catch him. When donations flow…
- Keywords: thailand, buddhism, corruption, crime, religion, news, world, abbot, gold, bars, CCTV, clip
- Source: BBC News — https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yjkxlngjyo
- Published: 2026-09-11T10:50:04.986+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: thailand, buddhism, corruption, crime, religion, news, world
## An abbot in handcuffs
Thai police arrested Phra Wachirayan Wi, former abbot of the 14th-century Wat Phutthaisawan in Ayutthaya, on suspicion of embezzling 100 million baht, about $3m, from his own monastery.
## Two vows, both broken
Monks in Thailand renounce money and take a vow of celibacy. He allegedly pocketed donations on more than 20 occasions over two years. He was defrocked after the arrest and has not commented.
## Not a single baht
Police traced two money streams from receipts he issued in the temple's name, one for renovations, one for amulets and sacred objects. Neither reached the temple's account.

> But the money from both streams did not enter the temple's account. Not a single baht.
## Counting until midnight
A raid on his residence turned up cash and gold bars worth more than 100 million baht. Officers were still counting late into the night, The Nation reported.
## Caught by his own cameras
Reviewing CCTV inside the residence, police found a clip of him having sex with a woman on his dining table. Punyavee Rungrueang, 47, was arrested for abetting a state official, as monks on government stipends count as officials.
## A pattern, not an outlier
Thai monasteries have faced repeated cases of celibacy breaches, drug trafficking and financial crime. Last July a hotline opened after nine monks were blackmailed for nearly $12m over sex tapes.
## Key takeaway

When donations flow through one trusted person with no separate temple account, theft can run for years before anyone notices.