Thai law enforcement has taken into custody a former senior Buddhist monk and his female alleged accomplice, uncovering a two-year scheme that siphoned more than 100 million baht ($3 million) from one of the country’s historic temples – the latest high-profile scandal to roil the nation’s long-troubled Buddhist monastic establishment. The suspect, Phra Wachirayan Wi, once served as abbot of Wat Phutthaisawan, a prominent 14th-century temple located in Ayutthaya, Thailand’s ancient former capital. Investigators allege that over 24 months, he diverted donations intended for the temple on more than 20 separate occasions, hoarding the funds for personal use rather than directing them to the institution. In line with Thai Buddhist tradition, all monks are required to take solemn vows of celibacy and renounce personal material wealth. Immediately following his arrest, Phra Wachirayan was formally defrocked, and he has not yet issued any public response to the allegations against him. This arrest comes just 12 months after a separate sex and blackmail ring involving high-ranking monks triggered widespread public outrage and shook the credibility of Thailand’s monastic community. Prior to his removal from office, Phra Wachirayan gained widespread recognition for producing coveted coin amulets – sacred objects that draw significant interest from collectors across Thailand. Reports even confirm that Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul owns several amulets created by the former abbot. For decades, allegations of widespread misconduct have plagued Thailand’s official Buddhist institution, with repeated reports of monks breaking celibacy vows, participating in drug trafficking, and committing various forms of financial fraud. In July of last year, authorities launched a public tip hotline for reporting misbehaving monks, after a criminal scheme was uncovered where at least nine monks were blackmailed for nearly $12 million using secretly recorded photos and videos of their sexual encounters with a woman. Speaking at a press conference this week, lead investigating officer Pattanasak Bupphasuwan confirmed that investigators traced two distinct streams of funds collected under the temple’s official name by Phra Wachirayan. One pool of donations was marked for temple renovation projects, while the other was collected as payment for amulets and other religious artifacts created by the former abbot. “But the money from both streams did not enter the temple’s account. Not a single baht,” Pattanasak stated, according to local media reports. When officers raided Phra Wachirayan’s private residence on Thursday, they uncovered stashes of cash and gold bars valued at more than 100 million baht, with counting operations continuing late into the night, according to Thai national newspaper The Nation. During a review of closed-circuit footage stored at the property, investigators stumbled on an explicit video recording showing Phra Wachirayan engaged in sexual activity with a woman on his personal dining table. The woman was identified as 47-year-old Punyavee Rungrueang, who has since been arrested on charges of aiding and abetting a state official in criminal activity. Like the former abbot, she has not yet issued any public comment on the allegations. In Thailand, most clergy receive government stipends, so monks are officially classified as state employees, elevating the legal severity of financial crimes committed by monastic leaders. Authorities have also seized evidence from Punyavee’s home, including 35 gold amulets, 1.5 kilograms of gold bars, and assorted jewelry, with a total estimated value of 6.04 million baht. Local newspaper the Bangkok Post reports that investigators believe Punyavee played a key role in managing the embezzled funds, noting that tens of millions of baht moved through her personal bank accounts annually. The investigation into Phra Wachirayan was launched in mid-July, after authorities received an anonymous tip outlining allegations of misconduct and misuse of temple funds. Investigators added that two to three additional individuals are suspected of involvement in the scheme, and further arrests are expected as the inquiry progresses.