Thais are concerned that temples, once considered places of solemn refuge, are no longer safe.
And neither perhaps is the money they give to support monks and charities which benefit from millions of baht in donations each month.
Two suspects, aged 21 and 16, were arrested this week for the murder of the abbot of a temple in Chiang Rai province.
Phra Prasert Srisuda, 61, was stabbed to death in his living quarters after what police said was an argument over money.
The attackers made off with ancient Buddha images, amulets and electronics goods worth more than one million baht (HK$310,000).
In Bangkok, another abbot is fighting for freedom after being accused of embezzling 110 million baht in donations which he claimed was borrowed for a family memorial fund to buy land for relatives.
'I swear by all the holy things in the world that I did not embezzle the money. If I did, may I be born blind 500 times,' said Viroj Yannawong, abbot of Pradu Chimplee Temple.