On September 10, 2026, Thai police arrested and forcibly disrobed Phra Ajarn Chote (also known as Luang Phor Chote, ordained name Athichote Thammavaro), abbot of Wat Phutthaisawan in Ayutthaya, on charges of embezzling roughly 92 million baht in temple funds and money laundering. Within hours, Bangkok amulet rental shop Aris Amulets announced on social media that it would offer full, no-deduction refunds to any customer who wanted to return "Rian Nuea Duang" (เหรียญเหนือดวง, literally "Coin Above Fate"), the temple's best-known amulet and Phra Ajarn Chote's signature creation.
The Coin a Prime Minister Once Wore
Rian Nuea Duang is not an ordinary souvenir. Modeled on the Jatukam Ramathep format, it was cast in 2006 (BE 2549) to mark Wat Phutthaisawan's elevation to royal-temple status and the 60th anniversary of the late King Bhumibol's reign, consecrated by Phra Ajarn Chote across two ceremonies in August that year with sixteen senior monks in attendance (see What Happens at a Thai Amulet Consecration Ceremony). It was struck in several metals, from a first-edition gold run of just 16 pieces to a nawaloha "masterpiece" edition of 1,200 — the usual amulet logic of scarcity driving premium, with the rarest gold pieces fetching buyback offers near 4 million baht. Its recent viral fame owes much to circulating photos of Prime Minister Anutin, once a lay disciple of Phra Ajarn Chote, wearing the coin years ago, since framed by some outlets as a "soft power" symbol. The coin's Jatukam Ramathep pedigree ties it to Thailand's biggest-ever amulet boom (see Jatukam Ramathep: The Thai Amulet That Caused a Nationwide Frenzy), and it is the latest well-known lineage to be shaken by a creator's personal conduct, following the Luang Phor Tim gold coin swap dispute.
Embezzlement and Money-Laundering Allegations
These remain police allegations under investigation; no court has ruled on the case. Investigators say Phra Ajarn Chote transferred roughly 92 million baht in temple funds to an associate known publicly as "Sika Ae" (real name Punyawee, 47) and faces money-laundering charges alongside the embezzlement count (background in Wat Phutthaisawan Abbot Arrested and Disrobed Over 92 Million Baht). A follow-up raid on Sika Ae's home in Pathum Thani turned up assets worth an estimated 9.6 million baht, including 35 gold Buddha amulets, gold bars and jewelry weighing roughly 90 baht-weight (about 6 million baht), nearly 3.6 million baht in cash, two land title deeds, and seven bank passbooks. The Ayutthaya Sangha has since named Phra Phiphat Sasanakit Vithan as acting abbot to keep the temple running.
What This Means for Collectors
For overseas buyers, the episode is a useful reminder that an amulet's spiritual and collectible value rests on its consecration, material rarity, and documented lineage (see Thai Amulet Auctions: How Prices Actually Form), none of which is automatically erased by a creator's personal misconduct, even as sentiment and short-term prices wobble. Aris Amulets' no-questions-asked refund is best read as reputation management by a dealer protecting its own name, not an official verdict on the coin's authenticity or power. Scandals like this one also tend to draw counterfeiters, since panic selling floods secondhand channels with pieces that are harder to vet in a hurry. Whether a given Rian Nuea Duang is worth keeping or trading still comes down to verifiable edition numbers, metal content, and provenance through third-party channels such as a Samakom Phra certificate (see What Is a Samakom Phra Certificate?), not the emotional churn of a breaking scandal.
Source: Thaiger, MGR Online, The Standard