Thai ex‑monk gets 742‑year sentence, but law caps prison time at 50 years

The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases found both men guilty on multiple counts of embezzlement and money laundering. The court added up the individual punishments to a cumulative 742 years for Alongkot and more than 386 years for Seksan.

Thai law, however, sets a maximum prison term of 50 years for any single conviction, so both sentences were automatically reduced to that limit.

In addition to prison time, the court ordered the pair to return over THB300 million (about US$9 million) to the hospice at Wat Phra Bat Namphu temple in Lopburi, where Alongkot had served as abbot.

The hospice was founded in 1992 as an AIDS hospice, later expanding to treat other serious illnesses and to run charities that support the education of under‑privileged children.

The case shows how Thailand’s courts can stack sentences to reflect the seriousness of large‑scale corruption while still respecting the statutory 50‑year ceiling, and it highlights how trusted religious charities can be vulnerable when leaders misuse donated funds.

Thai law, however, sets a maximum prison term of 50 years for any single conviction, so both sentences were automatically reduced to that limit.

The hospice was founded in 1992 as an AIDS hospice, later expanding to treat other serious illnesses and to run charities that support the education of under‑privileged children.