Thai monk who was caught on temple CCTV having sex with his lover confesses to two-year relationship – as cops discover haul of jewellery and cash worth £5million
A Thai monk caught having sex with his lover inside his temple has confessed to their two-year relationship, as police uncover a haul of cash, jewellery and gold worth £5million.
Footage showing Phra Wachirayan Wi, the 66-year-old abbot of the 14th-century temple Wat Phutthaisawan in the ancient capital of Ayutthaya, having sex on a table in his residence was widely broadcast on Thai media last week.
He was arrested on Thursday on charges including embezzlement and money laundering, according to lead police investigator Pattanasak Bupphasuwan, alongside the 47-year-old woman he was caught having sex with.
She has been accused of helping convert and conceal the money, which was intended for the monk’s monastery.
Now, the monk has admitted during questioning that his romance with the woman has been going on for the past two years.
Meanwhile, police who initially uncovered 92 million baht (£2.1million) say the figure has since risen to 215 million baht (£4.8million).
Authorities also seized a haul of valuables, including gold, necklaces, rings, gemstones and land deeds.
Footage showing Phra Wachirayan Wi having sex on a table in his residence was widely broadcast on Thai media last week
Seized assets, including gold, jewellery, watches and Thai Baht banknotes said to be worth £5million
Seized cash is found at the home of the woman involved who has been accused of helping convert and conceal the money
The case is the latest scandal to hit the clergy in the Buddhist-majority nation, after a sex and extortion case involving senior monks last year prompted public outrage and calls for greater scrutiny of temple finances.
Police began investigating Phra Wachirayan in mid-July after receiving an anonymous tip accusing him of misconduct and misuse of temple funds.
Pattanasak, commander of the police Crime Suppression Division, said investigators identified two streams of money linked to donation receipts issued in the temple’s name.
Some 89 million baht, or £2million, was donated for temple renovations, with another 2.8 million baht, or £63,000, in payments for Buddhist amulets and other sacred objects, he said.
‘But the money from both streams did not enter the temple’s account – not a single baht,’ Pattanasak told a news conference on Friday.
‘We will expand the investigation to identify other people involved and restore public confidence in Buddhism,’ said Central Investigation Bureau commissioner Nattasak Chaowanasai.
Wat Phutthaisawan is a prominent royal monastery with a large following that includes government officials, businesspeople, police and military personnel.
The former abbot, also known as Luang Pho Atichot, was well known for making amulets, with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul reported to be among those who wore his creations.
Phra Wachirayan Wi (pictured) has been arrested on suspicion of embezzling £2million for his monastery, alongside a suspected female accomplice he was caught having sex with
Authorities raided the home of the woman, seizing 90 baht weight of gold, along with cash and assets worth several million baht
The abbot was defrocked shortly after his arrest. He has yet to publicly comment.
The scandal comes a year after police arrested a woman accused of blackmailing at least 11 monks she had sex with, extorting nearly $12million of monastery funds from them, in a case that shook Thailand.
Also last year, a Thai Buddhist monk famed for establishing a hospice for people with HIV/Aids was arrested over allegations of misusing donations for the project.
Luang Phor Alongkot, also known as Phra Ratcha Wisutthiprachanat, was arrested on suspicion of embezzlement, dereliction of duty and money laundering.
A second person, Seksan Sapsubbsakul, who served as a fundraiser for the project, was also detained.
Alongkot, 65, was forced to disrobe when he was taken on Tuesday to the Bangkok headquarters of the police Crime Suppression Bureau, as required before monks can formally be charged. He denied any wrongdoing.
