BANGKOK, THAILAND – Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) presented ten of its most sensitive 2025 cases, ranging from alleged temple embezzlement to mass data trading and illegal cryptocurrency dealings, after reporting 29,413 arrests over the year – an average of more than 80 cases per day.
Temple corruption and donation scandals
One of the flagship investigations was Operation “Naree Phikhat Phra”, led together with the anti-corruption agency PACC, which resulted in the arrest of Wilawan – known as “Sika Golf” – in Nonthaburi. She was accused of supporting official misconduct, receiving stolen property and money laundering, with alleged links to online gambling. Investigators tracked money flows of 385 million baht over three years and said evidence suggested that material was used as leverage for extortion and coercion.
In the related Wat Rai Khing case, a former abbot was suspected of having embezzled temple funds worth hundreds of millions of baht. Within the same network, officers examined 51 bank accounts with transactions of around 2 billion baht, which were believed to include flows to a person connected to an online gambling case.
Misused online donations at Wat Phra Bat Nam Phu
In another high-profile case, the CIB arrested Alongkot, former abbot of Wat Phra Bat Nam Phu, as well as “Mor B”, also known as Seksan. Both were accused of misusing donations collected online. Between 2019 and 2025, more than 300 million baht were reportedly paid into the relevant accounts, prompting widened investigations.
Police seized assets including land titles and usage rights over more than 7,200 rai and 60 vehicles, with the total value put at over 10 billion baht. The cases underlined the scale of suspected financial wrongdoing involving religious institutions and online fundraising.
Data trading, fake investments and USDT network
Under the codename “Cut Down Scam”, the CIB dismantled a network that allegedly traded around 9 million datasets containing personal information, a key resource for call-center fraud schemes. More than 4,000 victims and damages of over 290 million baht were reported, and six suspects were arrested. In the “9.9 Fake Company” action, the Technology Crime Suppression Division moved against a gang that allegedly used shell firms to simulate stock transactions.
Fifteen people – 14 Thais and one Chinese national – were arrested in that case, and seized assets were valued at about 21 million baht. In “Operation Crypto Phantom”, the CIB targeted illegal USDT over-the-counter exchanges, documenting more than 1,000 transactions and flows of 425,104,595 USDT, equivalent to over 14 billion baht, and conducting searches at eight locations in Phuket, Chonburi and Bangkok that led to investigations against five suspects. The agency warned that such informal crypto dealings carried high risks and could facilitate money laundering.
Tax fraud network and online exploitation
Working with the revenue authorities, the CIB broke up a value-added tax fraud network in two phases, with alleged losses of more than 2.1 billion baht. In Phase 1, raids at 14 locations led to the arrest of ten suspects over allegedly fabricated invoices and false input tax filings. Phase 2, launched in November, saw nine more arrests and expanded searches in four provinces, with officials citing additional losses of more than 1 billion baht.
In the “Switch-Off Discord Monarch” case, the Anti-Trafficking Division arrested seven administrators and four other people. They allegedly used a Discord server with 117,872 members to offer obscene livestreams and in some instances exploit minors. According to the CIB, the group operated in an organized manner and used deceptive methods to obtain money from viewers, and the agency also supported a 17-year-old victim in this case.
Transnational crime, southern mafia and car networks
In a strike against a transnational fraud and money-laundering network, the CIB reported the arrest of 29 suspects, with warrants issued for 42 people in total. Thirteen remained at large, including three believed to be abroad, while seized assets were valued at around 10 billion baht and included luxury cars, a yacht, cash and land, illustrating the cross-border dimension of modern financial crime.
Under the “Take Down Mafia” campaign, the CIB focused on organized crime in the south of the country, particularly drug networks, hitman groups and influential local figures. In one case, five people were arrested and assets worth about 8 million baht were confiscated, and in another operation in November linked to illegal gambling networks, six suspects were detained across several provinces with assets of more than 10 million baht seized.
Alleged car theft and money flows
Another investigated network concerned suspected car theft and “washing” of vehicles in the orbit of the Highway Police. Nine suspects allegedly embezzled rental cars, forged documents, altered registrations and resold the vehicles online. According to the CIB, the group had a clear division of roles and generated money flows of more than 40 million baht, with an average of about four vehicles a month fed into the system during the past year.
Outlook for 2026 and unresolved questions
The agency stressed that the ten highlighted proceedings represented only part of its work in 2025. Police General Natthasak Chaowanasai was to remain at the head of the Central Investigation Bureau and shape its direction in 2026. The CIB announced it would continue to rely on professionalism, impartiality and cooperation with the public, arguing that the cases showed its determination to combat crime that threatened lives, property and public trust.
“The question is not whether these crimes exist – but how deep they really go.”
said The Nation.
“Do these ten cases demonstrate real control and change, or do they merely reveal how large the problem truly is?”
said The Nation.