A 66-year-old Buddhist abbot at a prominent royal temple in Thailand has reportedly been arrested following allegations involving personal misconduct with a 47-year-old female follower and the alleged misuse of more than 92 million baht (about US$2.7 million) in temple funds.
The abbot, identified as Luang Pho Chot, the chief monk of Wat Phutthaisawan in Ayutthaya, was arrested by Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) following an investigation triggered by an anonymous complaint.
According to Thai media reports, investigators raided the temple on September 10 and allegedly discovered evidence linked to the case. Police also reportedly reviewed CCTV footage that they say showed the abbot and the woman engaging in intimate activity inside his living quarters.
Investigators allege that, over a two-year period, more than 20 donation receipts were issued in the temple’s name, involving funds exceeding 92 million baht. Police claim the money was subsequently transferred to an account connected to the female suspect and may have been moved to conceal its origin.
Authorities have reportedly seized assets worth around 215 million baht (about US$6.3 million), including 16kg of gold bars and jewellery, luxury watches, cash and 28 land-title documents. Investigators are now determining which assets belong to the temple and which may be personal property.
The abbot was subsequently defrocked and changed into white clothing shortly after his arrest. The 47-year-old woman reportedly comes from a well-educated background and is divorced. She was described as a female follower of the abbot and is now facing allegations linked to the case. She was also arrested by authorities as investigations continue into the allegations of assisting with money laundering and concealing funds.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and may be expanded to identify other individuals who could be involved.
The allegations have shocked devotees and sparked widespread discussion within Thailand’s Buddhist and amulet-collecting communities. All suspects are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Following his arrest, social media users drew attention to his outfit when he was taken to a police station. According to reports, he was wearing Hermès sandals priced at 30,300 baht, along with a Ralph Lauren cap costing 3,500 baht and a white shirt and trousers worth 300 baht. The total outfit was estimated at 34,100 baht (about US$1,000).
The case reportedly began after Thai police received a complaint alleging that the monk had misappropriated temple funds, transferred some of the money to a woman, and allegedly used other people’s names to move and conceal the funds.
On September 10, Thai police raided Wat Phutthasawang, a royal temple in Ayutthaya, and arrested the monk in his quarters. He is reportedly facing several serious charges, including misappropriation of public property, dereliction of duty and conspiracy to launder money.
As the police investigation continues, further allegations about the monk’s private life have emerged. Thai media reports claim that he may have maintained close relationships with not just one, but at least three women who allegedly had access to his private quarters.
According to Thai newspaper Thairath, Ajarn Chu was reportedly a spiritual medium at a fortune-telling establishment in Bangkok before entering the monkhood. He is said to have married once at around the age of 35 or 36, but the marriage lasted only about two years. Following the breakdown of the marriage, he reportedly said he had renounced worldly life and wanted to devote himself to Buddhism. With his former wife’s agreement, he subsequently entered Wat Phutthasawang and began his monastic life.
Local residents have alleged that, despite his public image as a devoted monk, Ajarn Chu maintained unusually close relationships with at least three women. The first was reportedly a woman in her 40s who operated a beauty-products business and was said to be his former wife. She allegedly visited the temple frequently under the pretext of attending religious ceremonies.
The second was reportedly a woman in her 50s from Buriram province. Described by local sources as fashionable and well-presented, she was allegedly able to enter and leave Ajarn Chu’s private quarters freely. The third was the 47-year-old woman who was reportedly arrested alongside him and had previously been a cheerleader at a prestigious school.
Sources further claimed that after “Auntie Ai” allegedly became involved, the other two women were seen at the temple far less frequently. Online speculation has since portrayed the situation as a supposed rivalry between the women, although these claims have not been independently verified.
Ajarn Chu was also reportedly a well-known figure in Thailand’s amulet community. He was said to have been involved in producing the popular Jatukam Ramathep amulet known as “Nuea Duang,” which attracted considerable interest among devotees.
Following the scandal, a more than decade-old warning video has reportedly resurfaced online. In the footage, retired police officer Sampech, described as a legendary founder associated with Jatukam Ramathep amulets, allegedly warned that amulets commercially consecrated or produced under the names of mediums after 2001 were “fake.” He reportedly named several monks, including Ajarn Chu, in his warnings at the time.
Sampech was also said to have warned people possessing such amulets to discard them, claiming that those who continued to keep them would eventually face consequences.
