32 years long, a false saint deceived the entire kingdom
Shock for all of Thailand! The abbot Luang Pho Alongkot, once revered as a saint and celebrated nationwide in 1992 as the savior of AIDS patients, has been exposed as a ruthless mega-fraud. On August 26, 2025, his 32-year career of lies came to a dramatic end: the fake monk was stripped of his robes and charged with money laundering. Together with celebrity spirit medium “Doctor Bee” (Seksan Sapsuksakul), he now sits in pre-trial detention awaiting a bail decision.
The scale of the fraud is breathtaking: investigators speak of damages amounting to several billion baht over the years! Colonel Charoenkiat Pankaew, who is leading the investigation, cynically calls the whole affair “Alongkot the Drama”—a sophisticated performance designed to deceive unsuspecting donors. “While the temple initially did truly help patients, donations paradoxically increased once AIDS treatments became available and medical costs dropped,” he explains in disbelief. The so-called holy man twisted compassionate generosity into pure profit.
Stolen Identity and Invented Life
The truth about the fake monk is even more shocking: his real name was Kriangkrai Phetkaew, but he had stolen the entire identity of a deceased school friend named Alongkot Polmuk. Not just the name—he even used the names of his dead classmate’s parents to open foundation accounts. His impressive credentials were completely fabricated—no graduation from the prestigious Debsirin School, no studies at Kasetsart University, no master’s degree in engineering from Australia. Upon his arrest, he confessed that he had never finished vocational school and had fled to Malaysia to avoid military service before returning to be ordained.
Originally, he intended only a temporary stay in monk’s robes – but it turned into three decades of systematic fraud! Wat Phra Baht Nam Phu in Lopburi Province, which he founded in 1992 as a refuge for HIV/AIDS patients, became his personal money-printing machine. At a time when discrimination was widespread and treatment options limited, his temple turned into a sanctuary that drew nationwide media attention and massive donations.
Ghost medium as partner in crime
The downfall began with “Doctor Bee,” who exploited the temple’s reputation for his own fundraising schemes. Temple insiders grew suspicious when cash donations mysteriously disappeared—at the same time Doctor Bee was building a luxurious new home. These internal red flags triggered the large-scale investigation, which expanded to around 30 network members working alongside the ex-monk. Investigators believe the network operated like a business enterprise, with officials systematically collecting and managing funds through multiple channels.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission found that despite the easy flow of funds, there were no proper financial management systems in place. Temple officials were unable to explain the number of bank accounts or clarify how money was used for insurance purchases or company formations. Over a five-year period, a former patient carried out withdrawals totaling more than 300 million baht. Someone casually received 100 million baht from the monk to buy a helicopter! “The need for patient care had practically vanished, yet every fundraising appeal still claimed to be helping patients,” said the shocked investigators.
Thousands of Victims and Drastic Reforms
The scandal still affects 120 people living in the temple today, including 60 seriously ill patients who require full-time care. The government is responding with drastic reforms: starting in January 2026, the tax office will require electronic donation systems (e-Donation) for tax deductions, making traditional handwritten donation receipts invalid. Organizations have revoked Alongkot’s previous honors, and educational authorities have removed content praising him from 5th-grade textbooks.
This case reveals more than just individual corruption – it exposes weaknesses in Thailand’s temple donation system and the ease with which public compassion can be exploited. The man once celebrated as a savior for AIDS patients now stands as a sobering example of the dark potential behind sacred robes and charitable façades. As investigations continue, authorities hope to set a precedent that will deter similar schemes across Thailand’s thousands of temples.