Monk who took vow of celibacy ‘had sex on monastery table and embezzled £2.2m’

Monk who took vow of celibacy ‘had sex on monastery table and embezzled £2.2m’ Brendan Croft Published September 12, 2026 10:18am Updated September 12, 2026 10:35am Derobed: Police officers escort Buddhist monk Phra Wachirayan Wi (AFP) Police investigating a Buddhist monk accused of embezzling millions in donations discovered footage of him having sex in his Thai monastery. Phra Wachirayan Wi, 66, who had renounced material possessions and taken a vow of celibacy, has been arrested after allegedly pocketing 100million baht (£2.2million) in donations over two years. Thai police allegedly discovered gold bars, 35 gold amulets and jewellery in a raid on the monk’s home. Seized assets: Gold, jewellery, watches and stacks of banknotes were found by cops (AFP) In their investigation they also found CCTV footage of Phra Wachirayan having sex with a woman on his dining table.Phra Wachirayan, who was abbot of the 14th-century Wat Phutthaisawan in Ayutthaya, has been derobed for violating his vows. It is alleged he conducted a scam by issuing receipts for temple renovations and payments for amulets and other sacred objects in the temple’s name. Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens. Pattanasak Bupphasuwan, the lead police investigator, told a news conference: ‘The money from both streams did not enter the temple’s account. Not a single baht.’ The woman he allegedly had intercourse with, 47-year-old Punyavee Rungrueang, was arrested on charges of abetting a state official in illegal activities. The Bangkok Post reported she is suspected of being involved in the scam. The case is the latest scandal to hit the Buddhist clergy in Thailand after a sex and extortion case involving senior monks last year prompted public outrage. Arrow MORE: Influencer, 43, dies after penis enlargement surgery in Thailand goes wrong Arrow MORE: Virgin Atlantic launches its first ever direct flight from UK to ‘paradise’ island Arrow MORE: 5,000 US sailors given sex work warning after aircraft carrier docks in Pattaya News Updates Stay on top of the headlines with daily email updates.