Latest news with #SanghaAct
Bangkok Post
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Supreme Patriarch backs reform effort
The Supreme Patriarch is calling for a sweeping overhaul of the country's monastic laws, urging the government to review the Sangha Act and revise outdated regulations to safeguard the sanctity of Buddhism, according to acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai yesterday. After meeting the Supreme Patriarch at Wat Ratchabophit yesterday, Mr Phumtham said in the wake of recent scandals which have rocked the monastic community, His Holiness is calling on all Thais to fully commit to protecting the religion. He said the Supreme Patriarch is in favour of reviewing the Sangha Act, which was first enacted in 1962, to ensure its relevance in today's society. "The Supreme Patriarch has also made it clear that action must be taken against monks who violate the monastic code," he said. "His Holiness also supports a plan by authorities to draft new regulations. He called for a thorough review of the Sangha Act to strengthen its provisions." He said that any amendments to the law must be coordinated with the Sangha Supreme Council, but emphasised that the Supreme Patriarch had already set the tone for a stricter and more disciplined approach. The Minister of the Prime Minister's Office, Suchart Tancharoen, echoed the call for reform. He said a working group is studying the Sangha Act to find ways to improve transparency and ensure punishment for misconduct. The reform process is being fast-tracked with input from relevant agencies to ensure the solutions are comprehensive and practical, he said. "We've already begun coordinating with the Ministry of Interior, local administrative bodies, and the national police," Mr Suchart said. "The National Office of Buddhism [NOB] may not have the authority to make arrests, but other agencies can, and everyone is taking this matter seriously. We must act now to protect the faith, and remember that wrongdoing is individual, not institutional." He confirmed he has instructed the NOB to draft the amendments within two weeks. Separately, opposition and People's Party leader, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, said his party is drafting its own version of the Sangha Act to address transparency in temple finances. He proposed that all donations over 100,000 baht be processed through electronic systems to ensure accountability. Key points in the draft include mandatory digital accounting of temple incomes, the use of e-donation systems for transparency, and strict bans on gambling or unethical conduct involving monks. Disciplinary and legal action will be taken without any exceptions. National Police chief Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch said yesterday that the police have received 69 complaints against monks for misconduct.
Scottish Sun
17-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Woman arrested after ‘filming herself having sex with Buddhist monks and blackmailing them for £9m' with cleric missing
The scandal was exposed when a widely respected monk vanished from his Buddhist temple in Bangkok MONKY BUSINESS 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 Wilawan Emsawat, 35, is said to have slept with several monks and has been accused of extortion Credit: Facebook 6 Emsawat being led away by police Credit: ViralPress 6 A sweep of the woman's house found thousands of compromising footage of the missing monk Credit: ViralPress 6 A Buddhist monk walks along the street barefoot (file picture) Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 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. read more world news BROTHERS IN ARMS Buddhist monk guns down cleric in toilet after being annoyed by loud phone 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 She is said to have demanded £179,000 in exchange for her silence Credit: ViralPress
Bangkok Post
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Sangha Act to be revised
The Sangha Supreme Council (SSC) will form a special committee to revise monastic regulations following a high-profile sexual scandal involving 11 monks and a woman known as "Miss Golf". After a special meeting yesterday, Assoc Prof Chatchapol Chaiyaporn, acting secretary-general of the SSC, said the Supreme Patriarch was concerned about the impact of the incident on the credibility of the monastic order. The council acknowledged the Sangha Act, passed in 1962, is no longer suitable for addressing present-day challenges and called for immediate reforms. The act has been amended three times -- in 1992, 2017, and 2018 -- but none of the amendments touched the core issue of the management of monks. The 2018 amendment, for instance, shifted the power to appoint the Supreme Patriarch and Sangha Council members from the council to royal authorities. "A new special committee will be formed to safeguard Buddhism, review the Sangha Act and other laws, and enhance public communication. The proposal will be submitted to the Supreme Patriarch for approval," he said. The meeting also agreed that senior monks must monitor others under their authority. Should a breach of the monastic code be found, the relevant superior must suspend the monk immediately and submit evidence to the monastic authorities for further action. Monastic misconduct, he noted, may also constitute a criminal offence, as monks are regarded as public officials under the law. The council also called on the National Office of Buddhism (NOB) to strengthen its procedures and sought government support in restructuring the agency to better protect the religion. "All actions must align with Dhamma-Vinaya principles, uphold justice, and protect the innocent," he said. Intaporn Jan-iaem, director of the NOB, said the council is reviewing the 11 names submitted by Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew, deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau. Six monks, including former abbots and senior monks from various temples in Bangkok, Phitsanulok, Saraburi, and Chachoengsao, have been disrobed to date. Out of the remaining five, two monks from Phitsanulok and Bangkok could not be contacted. SSC have ordered the northern and central regional monk chiefs to summon them with clear deadlines. Non-compliance may result in removal from office, he said. Two senior monks from Bangkok and Phichit are still in the monkhood pending a disciplinary review, while the abbott of Wat Chujit Thammaram in Ayutthaya resigned from his position yesterday. Meanwhile, Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat has ordered the Anti-Corruption Division (ACD) to visit Wat Chujit Thammaram, Wat Yai Chom Prasat in Samut Sakhon and Wat Kalayanamit and Wat Prayurawongsawat in Bangkok this week. The investigation will focus on the temples' financial transactions in an effort to determine if temple funds were diverted to pay off Ms Golf.
Bangkok Post
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Sangha Act to be revised after senior monks' sex scandals
The Sangha Supreme Council (SSC) will form a special committee to revise monastic regulations following a high-profile sex scandal involving 11 monks and a woman known as 'Miss Golf'. After a special meeting on Sunday, Assoc Prof Chatchapol Chaiyaporn, acting secretary-general of the SSC, said that the Supreme Patriarch was highly concerned about the impact of the incident on the credibility of the monastic order. The council acknowledged that the Sangha Act, which was passed in 1962, is no longer suitable for addressing present-day challenges and called for immediate reforms. The Sangha Act has been amended three times — in 1992, 2017, and 2018 — but none of the amendments touched the core issue of the management of monks. The 2018 amendment, for instance, shifted the power to appoint the Supreme Patriarch and Sangha Council members from the council to royal authorities. "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 said. The meeting also agreed that senior monks must monitor others under their authority. Should a breach of the monastic code be found, the relevant superior must suspend the monk immediately and submit evidence to the monastic authorities for further action. Monastic misconduct, he noted, may also constitute a criminal offence, as monks are regarded as public officials under Thai law. The council also called on the National Office of Buddhism (NOB) to strengthen its procedures and requested government support in restructuring the agency to better protect the religion. "All actions must align with Dhamma-Vinaya principles, uphold justice, and protect the innocent," he said. Intaporn Jan-iaem, director of the NOB said the council is reviewing the 11 names submitted by Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew, deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau. Six monks, including former abbots and senior monks from various temples in Bangkok, Phitsanulok, Saraburi, and Chachoengsao, have been disrobed to date. Out of the remaining five, two monks from Phitsanulok and Bangkok could not be contacted. SSC have ordered the northern and central regional monk chiefs to summon them with clear deadlines. Non-compliance may result in removal from office, he said. Two senior monks from Bangkok and Phichit are still in monkhood pending a disciplinary review, while the abbott of Wat Chujit Thammaram in Ayutthaya resigned from his position on Sunday. Meanwhile, Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat has ordered the Anti-Corruption Division (ACD) to visit Wat Chujit Thammaram, Wat Yai Chom Prasat in Samut Sakhon and Wat Kalayanamit and Wat Prayurawongsawat in Bangkok this week. The investigation will focus on the temples' financial transactions in an effort to determine if temple funds were diverted to pay off Ms Golf.
