A former monk, Phra Ajarn Khom Abhivaro, has been arrested along with two others on charges of embezzling 180 million baht from Wat Pha Dhammakiri, where the monk was based, in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Mr Khom, 39, who achieved fame as a meditation expert and had many high-profile followers, was arrested last week with Wutthima, a former abbot, 38, and Juthathip, 35 (surnames withheld).

A police source said that Mr Khom was also found to have engaged in sexual activity. As a result, he voluntarily left the monkhood on May 1.

The National Office of Buddhism had said it suspected the monk of collecting some temple donations for his own use, police said on Saturday.

One donation was reportedly made through Mr Wutthima who then passed the cash on to Miss Juthathip, Mr Khom’s sister.

Miss Juthathip put the money into Mr Khom’s bank account, while other cash donations amounting to 51 million baht were stored in boxes and suitcases at her house. The money has been seized by the police.

The investigation also found another transaction of 130 million baht that Mr Khom had taken from a temple donation. In total, he had embezzled at least 180 million baht from the temple, the police source said.