Temple accounts used to transfer over Bt300m to online gambling platform

Police have found seven of the bank accounts belonging to Rai Khing Temple were allegedly used by the former abbot, Yam Inkrunggao, formerly Phra Dhammawachiranuwat, to transfer money into the accounts of “Arunyawan”, an alleged broker for an online gambling platform, between 2020 and last year.

According to Pol Maj-Gen Prasong Chalermbhand, commander of the Anti-Corruption and Misconduct Division, one account was used to transfer about 80 million baht to Arunyawan. Another account of Ekkapote Phukang, formerlyPhra Ekkapote, a close aide of the former abbot, was used to transfer over 200 million baht to Arunyawan. A third account was used to transfer about 60 million baht into her account.

It is alleged that more than 300 million baht has been siphoned from the temple’s accounts into those of the former abbot and then transferred to Arunyawan for the purpose of online gambling.

Yesterday, the former abbot and his ex-aide, Ekkapote, were ordered by the Criminal Court to be detained at Bangkok Remand Prison for 12 days, pending questioning, after rejecting their bail applications due to the serious nature of their alleged offences.

Despite the scandal implicating the former abbot, Rai KhingTemple remains packed with visitors, who come from variousprovinces across to pay their respects to the Buddha statue at the main chapel in the temple.

One visitor said that he came, not to pay respect to the abbot, but to pay respect to main Buddha statue. Another said she visits the temple because of her faith in the Lord Buddha’s teachings.

Meanwhile, the National Office of Buddhism disclosed that Phra Ratchawachirasudaporn, the chief monk of Nakhon Pathom province, had been appointed the acting abbot of Rai Khing Temple.