Latest news with #Buddhistmonks
The Sun
4 days ago
- The Sun
Woman arrested after ‘filming herself having sex with Buddhist monks and blackmailing them for £9m' with cleric missing
A WOMAN has been arrested for allegedly filming herself having sex with Buddhist monks in a scandal that has rocked Thailand. Wilawan Emsawat, 35, is said to have slept with several monks and has been accused of extorting a whopping nine million pounds in a blackmail plot. 6 6 6 6 The scandal was exposed when a Phra Thep Wachirapamok, a widely respected monk from his Buddhist temple in central Bangkok, abruptly renounced his monkhood and vanished. But it soon emerged that Wachirapamok, better known as Arch, was allegedly in an illicit relationship with Emsawat, who reportedly claimed to be pregnant. She is said to have demanded £179,000 in exchange for her silence. But when the monk allegedly refused to pay the exorbitant sum, she exposed their affair to fellow monks in the temple - forcing Wachirapamok to reportedly flee the country in disgrace. A sweep of the woman's house found five mobile phones with tens of thousands of files reportedly containing compromising footage of the missing monk. Some alleged pictures show Wirawan in explicit acts with other top-ranking monks and politicians. Police Colonel Anek Taosuparp, deputy commander of the Crime Suppression Division, said Wirawan's modus operandi was to gain the monks' trust before getting in a sexual relationship with them. In an interview with Thai media aired on Wednesday, Wirawan admitted to having relationships with two monks and a religious professor, The Guardian reports. She also admitted to receiving extravagant gifts, including a Mercedes-Benz SLK200 and 'millions' of baht in the form of bank transfers and a personal bank card. Police Major General Charoonkiat Pankaew, deputy commissioner of the Cybercrime Investigation Bureau, said more than 12 Buddhist temples were under scrutiny following the scandal. Leaked sex tape shows Buddhist monk filmed taking part in drug-fuelled gay orgy at a temple in Taiwan At least nine monks have so far voluntarily disrobed - and the number is expected to increase. The Sangha Supreme Council, the highest governing Buddhist body in Thailand, said monastic regulations were being reviewed to create more modern sanctions. Acting secretary Chatchapol Chaiyaporn said: "A new special committee will be formed to safeguard Buddhism, review the Sangha Act and other related laws, and enhance public communication. "The proposal will be submitted to the Supreme Patriarch for approval." He added that loopholes in monastic law need to be addressed in order to restore public trust. Ittiporn Chan-iam, director of the National Office of Buddhism, said the office was proposing jail terms of up to seven years and a fine of up to 140,000 baht (£3,200) for monks expelled from the order over serious monastic violations. The same penalties would apply to common people who knowingly engage in sexual acts with Buddhist monks. Buddhist monks take a vow of celibacy to detach themselves from worldly desires, which are seen as obstacles to spiritual enlightenment. However, the Thai clergy have faced numerous sex scandals over the years, eroding public trust in the religious establishment. 6 6
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Thai woman, 35, 'filmed herself having sex with Buddhist monks and blackmailed them for millions of pounds'
A Thai woman was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly filming herself have sex with Buddhist monks before blackmailing them for millions of pounds. Wilawan Emsawat, 35, known by the nickname Sika Golf, is accused of being involved in secret relationships with 13 monks, as well as money laundering and receiving stolen goods. First reported by Bankokbiznews, Emsawat reportedly raked in almost a staggering £9million after using video footage and images of her encounters with senior religious figures to extort money. Five mobile devices owned by the woman contained clips and stills of her engaged in sexual acts with several monks, some of whom were still wearing their traditional orange robes, according to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), which was quoted in local Thai media. Currently, nine-out-of-13 monks involved have been disrobed, and the number of individuals involved is expected to increase. A committee in the senate has now called for sex with monks to be made a crime, but the proposal has angered those who say that men should be held responsible for their own actions. 'The scandal exposes a system of lies and hypocrisy among top monks,' Sanitsuda Ekachai, a columnist for the Bangkok Post, wrote. 'Women have long been depicted in mainstream teachings as 'enemies' of monks' spiritual purity… and now, when the clergy's moral decay is in full view, it's the woman who takes the fall while the monks are cast as victims.' The storm erupted when Phra Thep Wachirapamok, widely known as Arch, the highly respected abbot of Bangkok's Wat Tri Thotsathep Worawihan temple, suddenly renounced his monkhood and vanished across the border into Laos in June. But the real reason for his mysterious exit soon emerged. The 53-year-old monk had allegedly been in a secret relationship with Wilawan, who claimed to be pregnant and demanded a huge £179,000 from him. When he refused to pay, she exposed their affair to fellow monks and he fled the country in disgrace. Since police seized Wilawan's phones, some monks have already confessed to being involved in long-standing affairs with her - a blatant violation of their sacred vow of celibacy. All are now expected to be derobed in accordance with Buddhist laws. Since the situation came to light, one monk has even openly admitted that Wilawan had gifted him a car during their secret romance, but that things turned sour when he discovered she was also involved with another monk. When he confronted her, she allegedly began blackmailing him for money. Investigators from Thailand's CIB believe the scandal stretches far beyond moral failings and may involve large-scale financial corruption. Records from Wilawan's bank accounts reportedly show a jaw-dropping £8.8million in transactions over the past three years. Authorities suspect a significant portion of that came from temple funds. Wilawan is also said to have blown huge sums on illegal online gambling sites. Police Major General Charoonkiat Pankaew, who is leading the investigation, said his team is meticulously reviewing each video to identify 'monastic unchastity'. 'Whoever violates the monastic code must disrobe,' he said firmly. 'We want to preserve public trust in Buddhism. It's a human weakness, but not one we can ignore.' The scandal has triggered soul-searching across Thailand, a predominantly Buddhist nation, where monks are expected to live in humble purity. But critics say the institution has lost its way. Respected columnist Ekachai wrote: 'Monks must ask themselves: Why did they enter monkhood? For spiritual training, or to climb the social ladder and gain wealth and power through the saffron robe? This is structural rot rooted in a clergy strong on authoritarian control but weak on monastic discipline. It's the bitter fruit of a system that has drifted far from the Buddha's path.' The case has sent shockwaves through the Buddhist world and raised urgent questions about transparency, discipline, and the growing cracks beneath the surface of Thailand's religious elite.
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Malay Mail
Woman accused of seducing, blackmailing monks in scandal rocking Thailand's Buddhist clergy
BANGKOK, July 16 — A woman accused of seducing senior Buddhist monks and blackmailing them into paying large sums of money has been arrested in a case that has rocked Thailand's religious institutions, CNN reported. Wilawan Emsawat, in her mid-30s, was taken into custody yesterday at her home in Nonthaburi province, just north of Bangkok. Widely known as 'Sika Golf', she faces multiple charges, including extortion, money laundering and receiving stolen property, according to Thailand's Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), as cited by CNN. Authorities allege that Sika Golf deliberately targeted high-ranking monks for financial gain, luring them into intimate relationships before demanding money to keep the affairs quiet. At least nine abbots and senior monks have been disrobed and expelled from the monkhood in connection with the case, the CIB said. Police said they tracked funds transferred from temple accounts — including one belonging to a temple in northern Thailand — to Sika Golf's bank accounts. According to CNN, investigators believe she received about 385 million baht (RM50.5 million) over the past three years, most of which was reportedly spent on online gambling sites. The scandal came to light after the abbot of a prominent temple in Bangkok suddenly left the monkhood. CIB deputy commissioner Jaroonkiat Pankaew told reporters that the monk had allegedly been blackmailed by Sika Golf, who claimed to be pregnant and demanded 7.2 million baht in support. 'This woman is dangerous and we needed to arrest her as soon as possible,' Jaroonkiat said during a press briefing, as reported by CNN. Thai media reports cited by CNN say a forensic search of Sika Golf's mobile devices uncovered tens of thousands of images and videos, as well as chat logs suggesting sexual relationships with multiple monks. Some of the material could potentially be used for further blackmail, authorities said. Sika Golf has not issued a statement since her arrest and it remains unclear whether she has obtained legal representation. However, she previously told local media that she had been in a relationship with one monk and had given him money. While scandals involving monks occasionally surface in Thailand, this case stands out for its scale and the seniority of the clergy implicated. It has also reignited concerns over financial transparency within temples. As CNN reported, Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has instructed officials to review and possibly strengthen regulations governing monastic life and temple finances to 'restore faith in Buddhism,' according to government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub. The CIB has since launched a Facebook page for the public to report misconduct by monks.
CTV News
6 days ago
- CTV News
Thai police arrest woman who allegedly seduced and blackmailed Buddhist monks
A screengrab made from the livestream of Thailand's Central Investigation Bureau holding a press conference in Bangkok, on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, about the arrest of a woman involved in a sex scandal that caused several senior monks to leave monk-hood. (Central Investigation Bureau via AP) BANGKOK — Police in Thailand arrested a woman Tuesday who allegedly enticed a string of Buddhist monks into sexual relationships and then pressured them into making large payments to cover up their intimacy. The possible violation of the celibacy rule for monks has rocked Buddhist institutions and gripped public attention in Thailand in recent weeks. At least nine abbots and senior monks involved in the scandal have been disrobed and cast out of the monkhood, the Royal Thai Police Central Investigation Bureau said. Wilawan Emsawat, in her mid-30s, was arrested at her home in Nonthaburi province north of the capital Bangkok on charges including extortion, money laundering and receiving stolen goods. Police said they traced money transferred to her by a senior monk from a bank account belonging to his temple in northern Thailand. Wilawan has not made a statement since her arrest and it was unclear if she has legal representation. Speaking to local media before her arrest, she acknowledged one relationship and said she had given money to that monk. Scandals involving monks surface a few times a year in Thailand but usually don't involve senior members of the clergy. The case also puts a spotlight on the large sums of money donated to temples controlled by abbots, which is in marked contrast to the abstemious lives they are supposed to lead under their religion's precepts. Wilawan deliberately targeted senior monks for financial gain, police said, noting they found several monks had transferred large amounts of money after Wilawan initiated romantic relationships with them. Wilawan's bank accounts received around 385 million baht (US$11.9 million) in the past three years, but most of the funds were spent on online gambling websites, police said. Jaroonkiat Pankaew, a Central Investigation Bureau deputy commissioner, said the investigation began last month after an abbot of a famous temple in Bangkok abruptly left the monkhood. Investigators found the abbot had allegedly been blackmailed by Wilawan over their romantic relationship. She told the monk that she was pregnant and asked him to pay 7.2 million baht (US$222,000) in financial assistance, Jaroonkiat said at a news conference in Bangkok Tuesday. Police believed 'this woman is dangerous and we needed to arrest her as soon as possible,' Jaroonkiat said. Thai media reported a search of her mobile phones revealed tens of thousands of photos and videos, as well as numerous chat logs indicating intimacy with several monks, many of which could be used for blackmail. Thai monks are largely members of the Theravada sect, which requires them to be celibate and refrain from even touching a woman. Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai ordered authorities to review and consider tightening existing laws related to monks and temples, especially the transparency of temple finances, to restore faith in Buddhism, government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub said Tuesday. The Central Investigation Bureau has set up a Facebook page for people to report monks who misbehave, Jaroonkiat said. 'We will investigate monks across the country,' he said. 'I believe that the ripple effects of this investigation will lead to a lot of changes.' Jintamas Saksornchai, The Associated Press
