Buddhist monk arrested in suspected $3m embezzlement scandal

Thai police have apprehended a Buddhist monk, Phra Wachirayan Wi, on suspicion of embezzling 100 million baht ($3m; £2.2m) from his monastery, Wat Phutthaisawan. The monk, who previously served as the abbot, is believed to have misappropriated donations meant for the temple on more than 20 occasions over a two-year period. He was defrocked after his arrest and has not yet made any public statements.

The investigation into the case began in mid-July following an anonymous tip that raised concerns about the monk's misconduct and misuse of temple funds. Police found cash and gold bars worth more than 100 million baht during a raid on the monk's residence, with the counting process extending into the late hours of the night.

Additionally, police discovered a video of Phra Wachirayan engaging in sexual activity with a woman, identified as 47-year-old Punyavee Rungrueang, in their shared dining area. Punyavee has been arrested on charges of abetting a state official in illegal activities. Police believe that Punyavee played a role in managing the embezzled funds, as tens of millions of baht appeared to circulate through her bank accounts on a regular basis.

This latest arrest comes just over a year after another high-profile case involving senior monks in Thailand. In that incident, a 66-year-old monk, known for creating a highly-coveted coin amulet, was accused of engaging in sex and blackmail scandals. The monk, whose identity is not disclosed, reportedly owned some of the creations of Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.