A criminal court has sentenced former Wat Rai Khing abbot “Thid Yaem” to 50 years in prison in a major corruption case involving the alleged embezzlement of more than 2 billion baht from temple funds, while a close associate known as “Sika Gen” was sentenced to 8 years in prison.
On 21 April 2026, the Criminal Court delivered its ruling in the high-profile case involving former abbot Phra Dhammavajiranuvat (Yaem Kittintharo), also known as Yaem Inkrungkao, the former abbot of Wat Rai Khing in Nakhon Pathom and former regional ecclesiastical governor of Region 14.
The case stemmed from allegations that the former abbot misappropriated funds from Wat Rai Khing’s bank accounts and transferred them into personal accounts for use in online gambling. Investigators said more than 300 million baht was initially traced to gambling transactions through a broker, while financial evidence later revealed fund transfers totalling at least 847 million baht to accounts linked to close associate Aranyawan Wangthaphan, also known as “Sika Gen”. Authorities later found that the total embezzled amount exceeded 2 billion baht.
Following a lengthy investigation, including undercover operations lasting more than eight months, police obtained arrest warrants and seized financial evidence from the abbot’s residence at the temple in May 2025. Prosecutors charged him with multiple offences, including misappropriation of state-managed assets and abuse of official duty for personal gain or to cause damage to others.
The court sentenced the former abbot to 50 years in prison, while Sika Gen received an 8-year sentence. All defendants have filed appeals against the ruling, according to reports.
Yaem Inkrungkao entered the monkhood at the age of 12 and later became abbot of Wat Rai Khing in 2008. He was widely respected in Buddhist circles, making the case one of the most shocking corruption scandals in Thailand’s religious community.