Scandal at Royal Monastery: Ayutthaya’s Wat Phutthaisawan in Turmoil
A Sacred Institution Shaken
For nearly four decades, Thailand’s Buddhist community has been rocked by scandals that have chipped away at public trust. From forged monk identity documents and breaches of discipline to sexual misconduct, fraud, and money laundering, the sangha (community of Buddhist monks and nuns) has faced repeated crises. The latest storm centres on Wat Phutthaisawan, a historic royal monastery in Ayutthaya, where its former abbot, Luang Por Chot — also known as Luang Pho Atichot and previously styled Phra Wachirayan — stands accused of embezzling more than 92 million baht in temple donations.
The arrest warrant, issued on 8 September 2026, was already headline‑grabbing. But by 14 September, the scandal had widened dramatically, as leaked footage and residents’ accounts painted a picture of misconduct that went far beyond financial irregularities.
Leaked Footage and Public Outcry
Closed‑circuit images circulated online appeared to show the 66‑year‑old cleric engaging in sexual activity with a 47‑year‑old female associate inside temple quarters. The scenes, captured on furniture within the compound, spread rapidly across social media. For many Thai Buddhists, the shock was not only in the act itself but in its setting: a royal monastery revered for centuries.
The combination of financial inquiry and sexual‑misconduct footage created a perfect storm of outrage. Officials scrambled to investigate how donations were handled, while the public debated the moral collapse of a figure once cloaked in spiritual authority.
A Complex Past
A police official who had studied under Luang Por Chot revealed that the monk’s past was more colourful than many realized. Before ordaining, he worked as a spirit medium and fortune‑teller from a flat in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district. Around the age of 35 or 36, he married and lived with his wife for about two years. His growing interest in Buddhist practice eventually led him to ask her to accept his wish to enter the sangha. He then ordained at Wat Phutthaisawan, rising to prominence within the monastery.
Three Women in the Inner Circle
Residents claim the abbot’s private circle included three women, each with distinct roles.
- The first, said to be in her forties, runs a cosmetics firm and is widely presumed to be his former wife. She was often seen at merit‑making ceremonies and temple events.
- The second, about 50 and from Buriram province, was described as attractive, carefully dressed, and granted free access to the abbot’s monastic quarters.
- The third is the woman nicknamed Ae or Sika Ae, identified in English‑language coverage as Punyavee Rungrueang. Locals recall she once worked as a cheerleader and later as a DJ on a community radio station. After she became a fixture at the temple, residents noted, the other two women rarely returned.
Together, these accounts have filled in a personal history that the arrest alone could not explain, deepening the sense of betrayal among devotees.
Echoes of Past Scandals
This is not the first time Thailand’s Buddhist establishment has faced such crises. Since 1988, at least 13 high‑profile cases have emerged. One early scandal involved former monk Sorasak (nicknamed “Smitjet”), who served as secretary of the Supreme Sangha Council. He was accused of forging the Supreme Patriarch’s seal to solicit bribes and was later exposed for maintaining improper relationships with multiple women. Expelled from the monkhood, he admitted to breaking rules during his 14 years as a monk but insisted the relationships were consensual.
Such cases illustrate a troubling pattern: the erosion of discipline within the sangha, the misuse of temple resources, and the blurring of boundaries between spiritual authority and personal indulgence.
A Royal Monastery Under Scrutiny
Wat Phutthaisawan’s prominence as a royal monastery has amplified the scandal. For Ayutthaya residents, the revelations have transformed a revered institution into the epicentre of national debate. For Thailand as a whole, the case underscores how financial misconduct and sexual impropriety can intertwine, magnifying public outrage.
Officials continue to probe the handling of donations, while residents’ stories of the three women provide context that official investigations alone cannot capture. The scandal has become emblematic of a wider crisis in Thai Buddhism — a reminder that the sangha must confront its vulnerabilities if it hopes to restore trust.
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