Thai PM's $90,000 Amulet Exposed as Monk's Embezzlement and Adultery Scandal Rock Thailand

PHNOM PENH, September 11, 2026 – Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is facing intense public backlash after photos resurfaced showing him proudly displaying a US$90,000 amulet crafted by a monk now accused of embezzling millions from his temple and engaging in inappropriate conduct inside sacred grounds.

The images, taken in October 2023, show Anutin—then deputy prime minister—showing off the rare 2006 Jatukam Ramathep gold amulet to reporters, praising it as a symbol of Thai "soft power." The amulet, produced by Wat Phutthaisawan in Ayutthaya province, is valued at approximately 3 million baht (US$90,700).

That temple's abbot, Phra Wachirayan Wi, also known as Luang Pho Atichot Dhammawaro, was arrested Thursday on allegations of embezzling over 92 million baht. Authorities also detained Punyawee "Ae" Rungrueang, 47, described as the 66-year-old monk's companion. CCTV footage from the abbot's private quarters showed the pair engaged in inappropriate conduct inside the temple compound—footage reportedly handed to police by the monk's own followers who said they could no longer tolerate his behaviour.

The scandal has now widened. The Anti-Money Laundering Office is preparing to receive the case file from the Central Investigation Bureau to probe the former abbot's financial transactions. AMLO Secretary-General Thepsu Bovornchotidara said all funds would be examined, noting money had entered through both personal bank accounts and a foundation. He said it was too early to determine whether hundreds of millions of baht in assets represented "grey capital" linked to illicit activities.

Anutin's association with the disgraced monk has raised serious questions about his judgement. In 2023, he championed the amulet as a symbol of national pride—unaware, or unconcerned, that its creator would later be accused of plundering temple funds and violating his sacred vows. How can a leader who promoted an amulet made by an alleged embezzler claim to uphold Buddhist values or moral leadership? The prime minister has not commented publicly, but Thais are asking: What does this say about the judgement of those who lead the country?

The woman at the centre of the scandal has not publicly responded, but her role as the monk's companion has drawn sharp criticism from devotees who see her as complicit in the desecration of a sacred institution. What motivated her involvement? And what does it say about the culture that enabled such behaviour to continue unchecked?

For Anutin, the amulet once held up as a source of pride has become a symbol of everything wrong with Thailand's political and religious elite: blind devotion to status, disregard for accountability, and a willingness to look the other way when it suits them.

The prime minister may hope the story fades. But with the money trail now under investigation and public anger rising, the question is no longer about an amulet—it is about integrity. Can a leader who promoted an amulet made by an alleged embezzler truly claim to stand for moral leadership?

Reported by The Khmer Today