Hospice funds scandal takes toll

In the 1990s, when Aids meant abandonment and death, Wat Phrabat Nam Phu in Lop Buri opened its gates to the sick and dying. Abbot Phra Alongkot Tikkapanyo gave them food, shelter, and care. It was a noble mission in fearful times.

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Three decades later, the temple is now at the centre of a scandal, sparking public disillusionment.

The controversy began with allegations that a spirit medium, Seksan Sapsubbsakul, better known as “Mor Bee”, had embezzled public donations for the temple. He denied wrongdoing, saying he raised the funds for Phra Alongkot as an individual, not for the temple. If true, this loophole allows the abbot to spend the money ungoverned as he sees fit, although this violates both monastic codes and donor expectations.

But as the story unfolded, the focus shifted. The abbot, 72, initially seen as the victim of alleged fraud, now faces questions not only about how donations are managed but also about whether the hospice has outlived its purpose.

Indeed, the bigger question is whether Wat Phrabat Nam Phu is still a necessary refuge for HIV and Aids patients in an age of free anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs. Or has it become a fundraising machine cashing in on patients’ suffering?

The universal healthcare system now provides ARVs to people with HIV and Aids. Patients can live long, healthy lives in society. The number of people developing full-blown Aids has plummeted. Yet the temple frequently issues urgent calls for donations, warning that patients will die without its care.