Thanakorn Wangboonkhongchana, the vice-chairman and MP of the Thai Unity and Peace Party (RTSP), recently made a shocking revelation: numerous online gambling syndicates are laundering massive amounts of money under the guise of "generous donations to temples," further infiltrating local politics and manipulating elections through vote-buying, which is astonishing.
Thanakorn reported that the party has received complaints from the public and media in Mahasarakham Province, Kalasin Province, Loei Province, and several southern regions, revealing a group of teenagers operating illegal gambling, virtual lotteries, and underground casinos. After defrauding millions of Thai baht, they donate to well-known temples under the guise of being devout believers, raising suspicions about the origins of the funds.
Initial investigations have shown that these donors have close ties with the operating syndicates, forming a gambling network. More alarmingly, these laundered funds then flow into local elections, becoming an arsenal for election support, influencing local political situations through vote-buying and bribery, exposing a deep collusion between gambling and political interests.
"Temples should not become a 'transfer station' for black money circulation; we can no longer remain silent," Thanakorn sternly criticized. He urged Pol. Gen. Kittirat Phanphet, the chief of the National Police, to take strong law enforcement actions against the online gambling forces that use religion to cover illegal financial flows and to identify which politicians are colluding with them. He emphasized that these actions not only desecrate Buddhist holy sites but also shake the public's trust in the fairness of national elections.
Former abbot of Wat Rai Khing involved in a 800 million baht gambling scandal, shaking the Buddhist community
Simultaneously exposed with the above corruption scandal was the "Wat Rai Khing money laundering case" that shocked the Buddhist community. The former abbot of the well-known Wat Rai Khing, Yaem Inkrungkao, was recently arrested by the police for allegedly diverting up to 800 million Thai baht of temple funds to support online gambling platforms. The case shocked the nation and triggered a collective call for reflection and reform within the Buddhist community.
Inthaporn Chan-iem, the director of the National Office of Buddhism, stated that after the case was exposed, Chousak Sirinil, the Minister of the Prime Minister's Office, immediately ordered a comprehensive investigation by Buddhist institutions. Currently, the chief monk of the Buddhist Office has taken over the temple affairs and is jointly auditing the financial accounts with the police. Official data shows that Wat Rai Khing reported an income of 70 million Thai baht in 2024, but the actual cash flow is much higher, with a highly opaque financial structure.
Many question whether the Wat Rai Khing incident is just the tip of the iceberg, reflecting a long-standing financial regulatory vacuum in Thai temples. Unlimited donations and lack of auditing allow some temples to become hotbeds for illegal money laundering. More worrisome is that when the boundaries between faith and money blur, once the system collapses, religion could be completely hijacked by profit-driven forces.
Government plans to reform temple financial systems to restore Buddhist credibility
To curb the spread of corruption, the Office of Buddhism will discuss a national financial regulatory reform plan at the Supreme Sangha Council meeting scheduled for May 20. The proposed mechanisms include: strengthening donation and expenditure reporting, establishing a third-party audit system, and setting up a penalty mechanism for violations, to avoid the absurd scenario of "charitable donations entering gambling dens."
"We must plug the systemic loopholes and restore temples as places of purity," Inthaporn stated. This battle is not only about the future of Buddhist faith but also about the societal trust in religion, politics, and justice.
Today, the tentacles of online gambling have extended to the core areas of religion and politics. Thanakorn warns that if the roots of corruption and financial flows are not cut off, Thailand's future could be controlled by monetary power. He emphasizes that this is not just about combating online gambling, but about defending democracy and the future of the nation.
