The "round table" was the battleground between former Abbot Chotik and his close female associate. The Wat Phutthaisawan committee requested the Crime Suppression Division to help remove it from the temple, stating it was inauspicious.
On 11 Sep 2026 GMT+7, reporters reported that the Crime Suppression Division conducted a swift operation to arrest "Chao Khun Atochoti," abbot of Wat Phutthaisawan, a royal temple in Ayutthaya, famous for the original Jatukam Buddha amulet "Nuea Duang" edition. He was accused of embezzling over 100 million baht in temple donations, transferring the money to a close female associate’s account before converting it into gold and land holdings.
Additionally, viral CCTV footage showed the abbot engaging in intimate acts with his close female associate at various points inside the monk’s quarters, including even at the dining table. Authorities subsequently defrocked him and questioned both him and Ms. Punyavee, known as "Sika Ae." Both denied the embezzlement and money laundering charges but admitted to the events seen in the footage.
The latest updates reveal that the orange round wooden table removed from Wat Phutthaisawan by police became a focal point. Crime Suppression Division officers disclosed that the temple committee requested the table be taken out temporarily because the former abbot and Ms. Sika Ae used it for illicit sexual activities. The table is considered extremely inauspicious and inappropriate to remain in a royal temple. Police agreed to remove it and store it temporarily at Division 1 headquarters. The temple committee will discuss and decide on the table’s future disposition.
