Former AIDS Hospice Abbot Denies Fraud Charges in Temple Scandal
The former abbot of Wat Phra Bat Nam Phu, a renowned AIDS hospice temple in Thailand, has denied all charges of fraud and embezzlement tied to the handling of donations meant to support patients.
Alongkot Polamuk, 65, and fundraiser Seksan “Mor Bee” Sapsubbsakul, 43, appeared before the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases on Wednesday, where both rejected the allegations against them.
The court granted a police request to extend their detention as investigations continue. Both men have been transferred to Bangkok Remand Prison, where they can be held for up to 84 days pending formal charges.
From Abbot to Accused
Alongkot, who agreed to leave the monkhood earlier this week, was arrested in Lop Buri while Seksan was detained in Bangkok. Once widely respected for his decades-long campaign to raise funds for HIV/AIDS patients, the former abbot is now at the center of a scandal involving the misuse of donations believed to total around 1 billion baht.
For years, donation boxes tied to the hospice appeared in shopping malls and fresh markets nationwide, and online platforms encouraged global contributions. But suspicions mounted that not all funds were used for patient care.
On Tuesday, Alongkot disclosed to police that his real name is Kriengkrai Phetkaew, and admitted he never completed the agricultural studies or earned the foreign engineering degree he once claimed. He reportedly adopted the name “Alongkot” from a friend when he entered the monkhood in 1986, only securing a national ID under his true name in 2009.
Smiling but Silent
At Wednesday’s court appearance, Alongkot—dressed in clothing resembling monastic robes but no longer a monk—smiled and waved at reporters but refused to answer questions about whether he planned to rejoin the monkhood or confess to the charges.
Seksan, his co-accused, is also under scrutiny, with police tracing financial links to four additional individuals whose roles are now being investigated.
Ongoing Investigation
According to Pol Col Anek Taosuparp, deputy commander of the Crime Suppression Division, investigators already hold sufficient evidence to pursue the case despite the accused refusing to answer questions directly.
Meanwhile, Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew of the Central Investigation Bureau noted that the scale of donations—estimated at one billion baht—would naturally present a “temptation” for mismanagement.
The temple’s official website was taken offline late last week, intensifying speculation about its financial operations and management.
As police dig deeper into the financial records, the once-revered AIDS hospice abbot faces a steep fall from grace, with Thailand and the international community closely watching the outcome.
