Thai Buddhist Abbot Gets 50 Years in $9M Baccarat Embezzlement Scandal

Posted on: April 24, 2026, 12:04h. 

Last updated on: April 24, 2026, 12:04h.

Philip Conneller @casinoorgphilc Read More
Expertise: Gaming Business, Regulation, Tribal Gaming.
  • Former abbot jailed 50 years for $9 million temple embezzlement
  • Stolen donations allegedly gambled on high-stakes online baccarat
  • Case exposes weak oversight of temple funds and monk accountability

A former Buddhist abbot at one of Thailand’s most prominent temples has been sentenced to 50 years in prison after he was convicted of embezzling the equivalent of around US$9 million from the religious site. Tid Yaem Inkrungkao, 70, blew much of the money he stole on high-stakes online baccarat, according to prosecutors.

Thailand temple scandal, Buddhist monk embezzlement, merit-making donations, online gambling fraud, temple corruption
Worshippers pay their respects to the golden Buddha statue at Wat Rai Khing near Bangkok, where the former abbot has been sentenced to 50 years for embezzling $9 million from the temple. (Image: Shutterstock)

Under his monastic name, Phra Thamma Wachiranuwat, he was head of the Wat Rai Khing temple on Bangkok’s western outskirts. The now-disrobed Inkrungkao was convicted on 18 counts of malfeasance and embezzlement as a state official. Prosecutors accused him of misappropriating millions from the temple’s bank accounts and siphoning the money into an account he controlled.

Undercover Monk

The case against Inkrungkao included evidence from an undercover investigator who posed as a monk attendant in the temple for 200 days. Thai Royal Police Captain Nitithorn Prachankanchana performed menial tasks like tending to the grounds and sweeping floors while covertly gathering evidence against the abbot.

Inkrungkao turned himself in on May 15, 2025, after he learned that authorities we preparing to indict him. He was officially disrobed from the monkhood the next day in front of the media and a statue of the Buddha.

Four codefendants were each sentenced to eight years for aiding and abetting. Among them was Aranyawan Wangthapan who acted as a gambling broker for Inkrungkao.

According to The Bangkok Post, Wangthapan was detained in 2014 over alleged ties to an illegal online gambling site known as Lagalaxy911. Authorities believe she is connected to three companies that used the platform to launder money.

Buddha Footprint

Temples in Thailand depend heavily on income from “merit-making” ceremonies, in which worshippers donate money in hopes of gaining good fortune and improving their prospects for reincarnation. Devout Buddhists regularly visit Wat Rai Khing to pay respect to a its revered Buddha statue, as well as what is believed to be a replica of the Buddha’s footprint.

As the head of one of the country’s most prominent temples, Inkrungkao was able to turn this system into a highly profitable scheme, prosecutors said. The case has drawn attention to how monks can gain access to these funds with minimal oversight or accountability.

Last year, a 35-year-old woman was accused of extorting US$11.9 million from a group of Buddhist monks whom she allegedly seduced and blackmailed. Authorities said Wilawan Emsawat deliberately targeted senior monks, reportedly recording sexual encounters on her mobile phone before demanding money.