Former monk receives 742-year sentence for embezzling hospice funds
Former Buddhist monk Alongkot Poonmook was sentenced to 742 years in prison for embezzling money from an AIDS hospice he founded, with the term reduced to the legal maximum of 50 years.
The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases found former monk Alongkot Poonmook and fundraiser Seksan Sapsubbsakul guilty of embezzling and laundering funds from an AIDS hospice that Alongkot established in 1992. The court handed down cumulative prison terms of 742 years for Alongkot and more than 386 years for Seksan, each automatically reduced to Thailand's statutory maximum of 50 years. In addition, the duo was ordered to return over THB300 million to the hospice located at Wat Phra Bat Namphu temple in Lopburi province.
The hospice, once hailed as a pioneering humanitarian effort, had expanded its services to other serious illnesses after antiretroviral drugs reduced the need for HIV care. The scandal has damaged the temple’s standing, which also runs charitable programs for underprivileged children. Thailand has seen several high-profile cases of senior monks misusing temple donations, highlighting broader concerns about financial oversight in religious institutions.
Why it matters
The case exposes financial abuse in a respected religious charity, raising concerns about oversight of temple donations in Thailand.
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