BANGKOK– A prominent Thai abbot who vanished four years ago with hundreds of thousands of baht in temple donations has finally been arrested. Police caught the former monk living a double life as a low-profile security guard in Samut Prakan province.
The high-profile arrest ended a multi-year manhunt for the missing religious figure, who traded his sacred saffron robes for a security uniform after allegedly draining his temple’s bank account down to just a few cents.
According to an official report by the Thai newspaper Thairath , anti-corruption police tracked down and apprehended 57-year-old Thanakorn Inkaew, formerly known as Phra Kru Palad Thanakorn Rakkhitasilo. He was the former abbot of the well-known Wat Pa Wimuttaram forest temple located in the Ban Pong District of Ratchaburi province.
The Anatomy of a Sacred Heist
The scandal dates back to October 23, 2022, during the traditional Kathina merit-making ceremony. This annual festival is a major event for Thai Buddhists, who donate large sums of money to support local temples and monks.
On that afternoon, devout followers pooled their money together and raised a total of 438,912.78 Baht (approximately $12,000 USD). At around noon, temple officials securely deposited the entire sum into the temple’s official Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) account at a local Lotus’s branch in Ban Pong.
However, the sacred funds did not stay in the bank for long. According to investigators from the Anti-Corruption Division (ACD), the following timeline explains how the money disappeared:
- October 23, 2022 (4:00 PM):Just four hours after the money was deposited, the abbot and his personal driver went to the bank. The abbot authorized a massive withdrawal, emptying nearly the entire account. He left a shocking remaining balance of just 12.78 Baht (around 35 cents).
- October 24, 2022 (Nighttime):The abbot vanished from Wat Pa Wimuttaram under the cover of darkness. He cut off all communication with the temple staff and local community.
- Late October 2022:Rumors surfaced that a man fitting the abbot’s description had been involved in a severe motorcycle crash. Investigators later confirmed that the abbot had secretly changed into civilian clothing, gotten drunk, and crashed a large “big bike” motorcycle. He received medical treatment at Nakhon Pathom Central Hospital before completely disappearing from public view.
Following the abbot’s sudden disappearance, the devastated temple committee filed a formal complaint with the police. The case was eventually handed over to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and Division 5 of the Anti-Corruption Division due to the misuse of public and religious office.
On June 10, 2026, the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases Region 7 officially issued an arrest warrant for Thanakorn. Police charged him with embezzlement by a public official, malfeasance, and serious breach of duty.
After tracking his digital and physical footprints, investigators discovered that the former holy man was hiding out in a housing estate in the Bang Phli District of Samut Prakan province, working quietly as a residential security guard. Police moved in and arrested him outside the housing complex.
A Shocking Confession from the Former Holy Man
Upon his arrest, Thanakorn confessed to all the charges. He admitted to police that his double life started long before he stole the Kathina donation money.
The former abbot admitted that while he was still wearing the sacred robes and running the temple, he regularly snuck out at night. He would change into normal civilian clothes and drive his personal sedan or his powerful big bike to drink alcohol at local nightclubs and bars in the Kanchanaburi and Nakhon Pathom provinces.
He even confessed to police that he had previously been arrested for drunk driving while still actively serving as the temple’s abbot.
Following his confession, police transported Thanakorn to Division 5 of the Anti-Corruption Division. He is currently being held in custody and will face trial in the corruption court, where he faces heavy prison time for abusing his religious status for personal gain.
