Court jails former monk Alongkot and ‘Mor Bee’ for 50 years
A Thai court has sentenced former monk Alongkot and fundraiser “Mor Bee” to the statutory maximum of 50 years each and ordered them to repay THB306 million to Wat Phra Bat Namphu.
The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases has sentenced former senior monk Alongkot, formerly known by his ecclesiastical title Phra Ratcha Wisutthiprachanat, and celebrity spiritual medium Seksan “Mor Bee” Sapsubbsakul to the statutory maximum of 50 years in prison each over the misappropriation of donations to Wat Phra Bat Namphu and related money-laundering offences.
The ruling was handed down on October 7 in black case No. Or Thor 203/2025, in which prosecutors charged the two defendants over the diversion of money donated by the public to support patients and the temple’s activities.
Alongkot receives aggregate sentence of 742 years
The court found that Alongkot’s offences constituted multiple separate acts and imposed sentences for each count.
For misappropriation of property by a public official entrusted with managing or safeguarding the assets, the court initially imposed six years for each offence.
It also imposed a three-year sentence for jointly committing money laundering.
Because Alongkot’s testimony and conduct during the proceedings were considered beneficial to the trial, the court reduced the punishment on each count by one-third.
His sentence for the property offences was therefore reduced to four years per count across 185 counts, totalling 740 years, while the money-laundering sentence was reduced to two years.
The aggregate sentence was therefore 742 years.
‘Mor Bee’ convicted over role in scheme
Seksan was convicted of supporting the misappropriation offences and of money laundering.
The court initially sentenced him to four years per count for supporting the property offences and three years per count for money laundering and jointly committing money laundering.
His sentences were also reduced by one-third because the court considered his testimony and conduct during the proceedings useful.
For the 185 counts relating to his role in supporting the property offences, the reduced sentence was two years and eight months per count. The judgment recorded the combined sentence for those offences as 370 years and 1,480 months.
He was also sentenced to two years on each of eight money-laundering counts, totalling another 16 years.
The judgment therefore recorded his overall aggregate punishment as 386 years and 1,480 months before application of the statutory maximum.
Prison terms capped at 50 years
Despite the much higher aggregate sentences, the court applied Section 91(3) of the Criminal Code, limiting the actual term of imprisonment for each defendant to 50 years.
The court also ordered Alongkot and Seksan to jointly repay THB306,026,143.50 to Wat Phra Bat Namphu, which was identified as the injured party.
The case concerned donations made by members of the public to support the Lop Buri temple’s charitable work and care activities. Alongkot and Seksan had previously been arrested in connection with alleged misuse of temple donations and money laundering before the case proceeded to trial.
