Warrant issued for Rai Khing Temple’s abbot over embezzlement allegation

The Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases issued a warrant this afternoon for the arrest of the abbot, Phra Dhamvachiranuwat, of the well-known Rai Khing Temple in Nakhon Pathom province, on charges of embezzlement and malfeasance in office.

The warrant is in response to a request from the commander of the Police Counter Corruption Division, Pol Maj-Gen Prasong Chalermbhand. It is expected to be served on the abbot today.

Phra Dhamvachiranuwat reported to the commissioner of Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) this morning to proclaim his innocence, after he was allegedly implicated in the embezzlement of about 300 million baht from the temple’s bank accounts. The abbot, who is also the chief monk of Region 14, was accompanied by a lawyer and a few aides.

At the time of his visit to the CIB, a warrant for his arrest had not yet been issued.

According to police reports, public donations to the temple are deposited into seven bank accounts. Between 2021 and this year, however, the abbot, who has the authority to withdraw money, had assigned his assistants to withdraw 1 or 2 million baht at a time from the accounts and deposit the money into his own bank accounts via CDMs.

It has been disclosed that the abbot had allegedly made 11 transfers from his bank accounts, amounting to 63 million baht, into the account of a 26-year woman, who is alleged to be a broker for an online gambling network.

The police report also claims that the amount of money in the abbot’s bank accounts exceeded 500 million baht at one point.

Phra Dhamvachiranuwat entered the monkhood at the age of 12 and ultimately became an abbot.

Regarding the female broker, the police report claims that she is known to have had links to online gambling for a long time and was arrested last year for her involvement with the “LAGALAXY911” gambling platform, but was released on bail, with an ankle-worn monitoring device.

Police say that a warrant has been issued for her arrest as well.