Thai abbot accuses bank of embezzling over 1.3 billion baht
Legal team files lawsuit after bank denies wrongdoing and refuses refund
A Thai abbot in the Isaan province of Ubon Ratchathani is taking legal action against a bank for allegedly embezzling over 1.3 billion baht from a non-profit organisation under his care.
Phra Panya Wachiramolee, the abbot of Wat Pa Si Saeng Tham in Khong Chiam district, Ubon Ratchathani, shared on social media that over 1.3 billion baht had disappeared from the account of the Luang Pu Sri Mahawero Foundation.
The abbot explained that he serves as the foundation’s secretary and is responsible for managing its savings account. He recently travelled to Kunming in China’s Yunnan province at the invitation of a follower, only to return to Thailand and discover that the funds were missing.
According to the abbot, the foundation had deposited approximately 803 million baht from public donations into the account about nine years ago. With accrued interest, the account should now contain around 1.3 billion baht.
Upon inquiry, a bank employee told him that the funds were used for investments and investment insurance. However, Phra Panya Wachiramolee and the foundation’s committee stated they were unaware of any such transactions and did not authorise them.
The abbot demanded the return of the funds, but the bank refused, prompting the foundation to hire legal representation and pursue legal action. The bank in the conflict was reported to be Krung Thai.
According to DailyNews, the abbot’s legal team submitted the case to the Roi Et Provincial Court on Wednesday, June 25. So far, no representatives from the accused bank have come forward to explain the matter.
In a separate case, a bank in the Isaan province of Buriram recently lost public trust after a loan officer allegedly embezzled nearly 700,000 baht from a female client. The officer reportedly convinced the victim to apply for a loan so he could earn a commission.
The client, who had engaged in several financial transactions with this officer and trusted him, agreed to apply for a loan of 699,945 baht to help him earn extra income. The officer then asked her to transfer the funds directly to him, claiming he would take responsibility for the monthly repayments.
However, he failed to make any payments, resulting in the client being sued by the bank. After his arrest, the suspect promised to repay the debt, a promise he had allegedly made before, prior to severing contact with the victim.
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