The Criminal Court for Corruption Cases sentenced "Thid Yam," former abbot of Wat Rai Khing, and "Sika Ken" to 50 years in prison and ordered them to jointly repay Wat Rai Khing 27,950,000 baht.
At the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases on 21 Apr 2026 GMT+7, the court read the judgment in case number Ot 144/2568, in which the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office 1 filed charges against Phra Thammavachiranuwat, also known as Phra Thepsasanaphiban or Phra Ratchawiriyalangkan, or Mr. Yam Inkhrungkao, known as Thid Yam, former abbot of Wat Rai Khing; Ms. Aranyawan or Ken Wangthapan; Mrs. Patchaporn or Toy Sileang or Phatsarayut; Mr. Chatchai Sileang or Inmee, defendant number 4; and Mr. Ekaphon or Phra Maha Ekaphon Phukhang, defendants 1-5. They were charged under the Criminal Code Sections 83, 86, 91, 147, 157; the Anti-Corruption Act 2018 Section 172; the Anti-Money Laundering Act 1999 Sections 3, 5, 9, 60; and the Technology Crime Suppression Act 2023 Section 10. The court ordered all five defendants to jointly repay 28,050,000 baht to Wat Rai Khing, the victim.
The prosecution alleged that at the time of the offenses, defendant 1 was the abbot of Wat Rai Khing, a royal monastery, acting as an official under the Criminal Code and the Sangha Act 1962 Section 45, and a state official under the Anti-Corruption Act 2018 Section 4. Defendants 2 to 5 did not hold official positions.
Between 15 Mar 2021 and 16 Sep 2024, defendant 1, taking advantage of his position as abbot of Wat Rai Khing, embezzled funds by withdrawing money from nine bank accounts belonging to the victim Wat Rai Khing. Defendants 2 to 5 supported these actions involving 20 counts, totaling 28,050,000 baht. All five defendants conspired to launder money obtained from these offenses over several years.
The offense details are that defendant 1, authorized to withdraw funds from Wat Rai Khing's accounts, authorized temple staff or employees to withdraw or transfer money from the temple’s accounts to defendant 1's accounts. Then defendants 2 to 5 transferred these funds from defendant 1's accounts into their own accounts. The final financial destination was defendant 2's bank accounts. The offenses occurred in Rai Khing Subdistrict, Sam Phran District, Nakhon Pathom Province.
Defendant 1 initially denied the charges but later withdrew his denial and confessed. Defendants 2 to 5 denied the charges.
A key issue was whether defendant 1, as an official responsible for managing property, misappropriated temple property for himself or others, with defendants 2 to 5 assisting. The investigation found no evidence that all five defendants jointly planned the crimes, so each count was considered separately. It was found that sometimes defendant 1 transferred money directly to defendant 2, other times through defendants 3 and 5, with 19 transfers totaling 27,450,000 baht ultimately received in defendant 2's accounts.
Since defendant 1 confessed, the court accepted that he committed the offense of an official entrusted with property misappropriating it for himself or others by corruption, as per Criminal Code Section 147, in 19 counts.
Defendants 2, 3, and 5 were not officials or state officers but aided defendant 1’s offenses. Defendant 2 supported 18 counts, defendant 3 supported 3 counts, and defendant 5 supported 2 counts. Defendant 4 was not found to have participated or supported the offenses during investigation.
Another issue was whether all five defendants conspired to commit money laundering. The court found defendants 1, 2, 3, and 5 committed predicate offenses under the Anti-Money Laundering Act 1999 Sections 3(5) and (18).
The investigation showed that after defendant 1 embezzled money from Wat Rai Khing, he transferred, possessed, and used the assets together with defendants 2, 3, and 5. Defendant 1 committed money laundering alone in 1 count; defendants 1 and 2 conspired in 13 counts; defendants 1, 2, and 3 together committed 3 counts; and defendants 1, 2, and 5 together committed 2 counts. Defendant 4 was not found to have conspired. Defendants 1, 2, 3, and 5 were ordered to repay Wat Rai Khing.
The court ruled that defendants 1, 2, 3, and 5 committed multiple distinct offenses, to be punished for each count under Criminal Code Section 91. Defendant 1 was sentenced to 50 years in prison; defendant 2 to 50 years; defendant 3 to 12 years and 12 months; and defendant 5 to 8 years and 8 months.
Defendant 1 was ordered to repay 27,950,000 baht; defendant 2 to jointly repay 27,450,000 baht; defendant 3 to jointly repay 2,850,000 baht; and defendant 5 to jointly repay 5,100,000 baht to Wat Rai Khing, the victim. Defendant 4 was acquitted. Other charges and requests were dismissed.