Police are preparing to seek additional arrest warrants in the high-profile embezzlement case involving Wat Rai Khing in Nakhon Pathom, after discovering extensive financial irregularities and undeclared accounts linked to the temple.
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), along with anti-corruption agencies, returned to the temple on Tuesday to continue reviewing financial documents.
Investigators found that Wat Rai Khing had at least 49 bank accounts, despite reporting only four to the National Office of Buddhism. More than 10 individuals were involved in managing the accounts.
CIB Deputy Commissioner Pol Maj Gen Charoonkiat Pankaew said the failure to declare income suggested an intent to conceal the temple's actual financial activities, possibly constituting embezzlement. Authorities revealed that income from temple events -- amounting to 18 million baht -- had been transferred not into the temple's accounts, but directly into the personal account of the former abbot, Phra Thamma Wachiranuwat, 70, who is today known as Yaem.
Additionally, donation box collections and revenue from religious items, land rentals, and festival stalls generated about 100 million baht annually, most of which had not been properly recorded.
So far, three individuals have been arrested: the former abbot; Aranyawan Wangthapan, 28, an online gambling broker; and Ekkapot Phukhang, a former monk and a close aide of the former abbot. Over 800 million baht is believed to have been transferred into Ms Aranyawan's bank accounts.
Police are now targeting two key groups in their next round of arrest warrants: individuals who directly benefited from temple revenues, and those involved in managing its finances.
Investigators are also examining a woman known as "Toey", who allegedly managed all temple finances. She is believed to have channelled income into private resort and music label businesses in Mukdahan province.
Once sufficient evidence is gathered, police will pursue charges against her and others for financial misconduct, he said.
Intaporn Jan-iaem, director-general of the National Office of Buddhism, confirmed the office was not informed about most of the temple's financial accounts.