Corrupt Buddhist abbot and lover taken to court as police oppose bail over temple money scandal

A corrupt Buddhist abbot and a woman he was having sex with were taken to a Thai court on Friday over a temple money scandal as police opposed their bail. Phra Wachirayan, 66, also known as Luang Pho Atichot Dhammavaro, reportedly embezzled millions of baht by issuing unauthorised donation certificates under a temple's name in Ayutthaya, just north of Bangkok. Punyawee Rungrueang, 47, was said to have helped him launder the funds, before the pair were also caught on video having sex on a dining room table where other monks eat. Police raided the prominent Wat Phutthaisawan temple in the early hours of September 10, following a tip-off about the abbot's suspected embezzlement and sexual misconduct. Phra Wachirayan was arrested and charged with 'misappropriating property as an official, wrongful or corrupt performance or omission of official duties, wrongful performance or omission of duties as a state official, conspiracy to launder money and jointly laundering money'. His suspected accomplice was later detained and charged with abetting a state official in illegal activities and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Both were held at the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok for questioning before being taken today to the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases in Saraburi province. Footage shows the monk and his lover, seen wearing face coverings, emerging from the building and walking into a police car as reporters bombarded them with questions. But they refused to answer and silently stepped into the police car. Police said they have opposed bail for the pair as they were considered high flight risks who had caused significant financial damage. Police Major General Pattanasak Bupphasuwan, commander of the Crime Suppression Division, said: 'The investigation revealed there were two streams of money. 'The first trail involved receipts being issued to individuals who rented 22 sacred objects, totalling around 2.8 million baht. 'Another trail involved donation receipts supposedly issued for temple renovations. That amount was much larger, at around 89 million baht. 'But the money from both streams did not enter the temple's account – not a single baht.' Investigators reportedly found more than 138 million baht in cash in the former abbot's quarters, along with gold bars and jewellery worth some 70 million baht. They also identified more than 290 million baht in bank deposits associated with him. While at Punyawee's home, officers seized more than 3.8 million baht in cash and around gold valued at more than 6.15 million baht. Police also seized two title deeds, seven bank passbooks and one land-sale agreement from the property. Buddhism is the dominant religion in Thailand, with 90 per cent of the population identifying as Theravada Buddhists. Monks take a vow of celibacy to detach themselves from worldly desires, which are seen as obstacles to spiritual enlightenment. They are banned from being alone with women. However, the Thai clergy have faced numerous sex scandals over the years, eroding public trust in the religious establishment.