Pictures courtesy of Komchadluek 

 

A Chonburi abbot has stepped down and been defrocked after allegations of embezzling more than 11 million baht from temple kathina donations between 2021 and 2025. The abbot, from Wat Ratniyomtham in Si Racha, admitted to being misled by a woman into investing temple funds for personal gain. Police are investigating the case, which involves multiple transactions and family members reportedly assisting in misappropriating money.

 

The allegations first surfaced on 23 October 2025, when local residents from Koh Si Chang petitioned Phra Kru Sathit Kittiyan, abbot of Wat Rat Ram Luang and acting district monk leader, to investigate the abbot’s conduct. Investigations revealed that donations from kathin ceremonies were not deposited into the temple account but kept in cash or transferred to the abbot’s personal account.

 

Funds reportedly misappropriated include 6 million baht from the 2022 kathina, 2.1 million baht in 2023, 2.9 million baht in 2024, but the 3 million baht from the 2025 royal kathina ceremony, was not misused.

 

Authorities noted that family members played a role in the alleged embezzlement. The abbot’s younger brother and brother-in-law managed temple administration roles. Part of the funds was also used to purchase a pickup truck in the abbot’s name.

 

The abbot formally met Phra Thep Wachirapanyaporn, acting provincial monk leader, to request defrocking before reporting to police at Si Chang Police Station. He claimed the embezzlement stemmed from being deceived by an unnamed woman who had persuaded him to invest in various schemes from 2022 onwards. Police remain cautious of his explanation, citing multiple large transfers to relatives.

 

Investigators have filed embezzlement charges and are collecting additional evidence for prosecution. The case highlights concerns over financial transparency within religious institutions and the role of family members in temple administration.

 

Key Takeaways

 

• The abbot of Wat Ratniyomtham in Si Racha admitted to misusing kathina funds totaling over 11 million baht.

• Family members allegedly assisted in diverting donations and benefiting from the embezzled money.

• Police continue to investigate and collect evidence to pursue legal action.

 

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  Adapted  by  Asean  Now from Siamnews 2025-10-25

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pretty damning state of affairs when something like this is posted and after two hours there's not a single comment.....says it all about the state of Buddhism in Thailand.....rotten to the core and everyone knows it.

3 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Investigations revealed that donations from kathin ceremonies were not deposited into the temple account but kept in cash or transferred to the abbot’s personal

 

Is this the mislead part ? 

 

1 hour ago, Will B Good said:

says it all about the state of Buddhism in Thailand.....rotten to the core and everyone knows it.

 

Come on at least there wasn't any netcitizen outrage.....

Monks and there monkey business. 

If the the buddha was alive today, he would just turn and walk away from Thailand.

 

Another couple of centuries and they'll reach Roman Catholic levels.

8 hours ago, Will B Good said:

 

 

Pretty damning state of affairs when something like this is posted and after two hours there's not a single comment.....says it all about the state of Buddhism in Thailand.....rotten to the core and everyone knows it.

Same the girls who cheated their foreigner bf/husband and the next morning pray to the bar buddha.

Its so many cases about the munks in Thailand stealing money..use drugs..f... around and so on.

But its stucked in the thai heads so this will never stop.

12 hours ago, Will B Good said:

 

 

Pretty damning state of affairs when something like this is posted and after two hours there's not a single comment.....says it all about the state of Buddhism in Thailand.....rotten to the core and everyone knows it.

Saffron robes do not a monk make..... I have often wondered f there is a higher percentage of bad 'uns in the temple grounds than outside the gates!

18 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

multiple transactions and family members reportedly assisting in misappropriating money.

It seems Thailand's version of Buddhism is the same as their version of happy families.

Gilded antique chairs, Persian carpets, marble floor an pillars. Looks like the typical modest abode of a Buddhist abbot.

Another dodgy monk, whats new? I think more goes on than we farang know about, I heard my wife talking to her friend about they will not donate anymore, my wifes friend got a call from a monk once asking to borrow 250k Baht, 

14 hours ago, norsurin said:

Same the girls who cheated their foreigner bf/husband and the next morning pray to the bar buddha.

Its so many cases about the munks in Thailand stealing money..use drugs..f... around and so on.

But its stucked in the thai heads so this will never stop.

And Catolics still go and hand cash over on Sundays. Same same but same ! The alternatives created by the born again , evangelicals , scamintoligists with same objectives .

But I am sure Thais'are getting less and less naive as younger generationals recognize the

Buddhist futility in  favor of baited consumerism. 

If the perception of Thai females is that in reality they are ahead on the game it may represent the fact they have the intellectual capacity to counter the global perception that men have a right to autocratic domination.

The social opinion of a geriatric generation on a forum such as AN  whose experience of the global impact from the internet is limited to approximately half of their lifespan to date have conflicting preconceptions of  "how life  oughta be " versus how it has transformed initially into a generally more globally informed position  but now increasingly  into a disinformed , misinformed ,deliberately divisive chaos.