logo
#

Latest news with #SikaGolf

Senior monk linked to new scandal not from Bangkok, say police
Senior monk linked to new scandal not from Bangkok, say police

Bangkok Post

time19 hours ago

  • Bangkok Post

Senior monk linked to new scandal not from Bangkok, say police

A prominent monk implicated in an alleged embezzlement case involving temple funds and affairs with a woman is based outside of Bangkok, a senior police officer said on Saturday. The case is also separate from the 'Sika Golf' sex scandal that has rocked the Buddhist clergy, said Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew, deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB). Recent reports circulating in the media had misinterpreted information supplied to police investigators about the new embezzlement investigation. Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat stressed that the details received from a newly established centre handling complaints about monks' misconduct involved a prominent provincial monk and had no connection to any monks based in Bangkok. 'We are aware of reports circulating in the media, but police have not yet taken any action (against the accused monk),' said the senior officer known as 'Big Tao'. He also dismissed as inaccurate speculation that the senior monk in question may hold the rank of Somdet, the highest ecclesiastical title. He said the monk held a high-ranking title but it remained unclear whether the rank was Phra Thep, Phra Phrom or Phra Somdet. Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat insisted that the monk under scrutiny was not the one with the rank of Somdet who was widely discussed on social media. The suspect has been the subject of long-standing complaints involving the misuse of temple donations, said the CIB chief. Several hundred million baht, raised from people over many years, were intended for the construction of a major religious site. However, the project remains unfinished after more than a decade. 'There are clear signs of misconduct. Some of the money was allegedly diverted for personal purposes, including supporting a woman,' he said. 'At this stage, we are not disclosing whose account the funds were transferred to.' Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat said that while police do not have the authority to defrock a monk, they will present the evidence to the relevant religious authorities for consideration. 'If a monk lacks proper conduct, he should not be revered,' he added. Asked whether an arrest warrant or search warrant will be issued, he said there is sufficient evidence to proceed but added that authorities would follow due process and not act hastily. Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat emphasised that both police and other agencies responsible were working to root out improper behaviour within the monastic community to preserve public trust. He called on the media to refrain from sensationalism and stick to verified facts. The scandal involving Sika Golf and senior monks has gripped Thailand in recent weeks. Sika Golf, whose real name is Wilawan Emsawat, was accused of developing intimate relationships with high-ranking monks and using them for financial gain, sparking a wide-ranging police investigation and multiple arrests. Ms Wilawan, 35, was arrested in at her home in Nonthaburi province last Tuesday and has already been charged with enabling a monk's embezzlement of temple funds, laundering money and receiving stolen goods. She is being detained at the Central Investigation Bureau in Bangkok. Police searched her house and found a number of mobile phones storing about 80,000 sex photos and videos involving senior monks at many famous temples. So far, 13 monks linked to the case have been disrobed. All will be questioned, including the latest, Phra Maha Yodpet, the former abbot of Wat Tha Bua Thong in Phichit province.

How a Thai woman boasted about being showered in luxury gifts just hours before being arrested 'for filming herself having sex with monks to blackmail them out of MILLIONS'
How a Thai woman boasted about being showered in luxury gifts just hours before being arrested 'for filming herself having sex with monks to blackmail them out of MILLIONS'

Daily Mail​

time2 days ago

  • Daily Mail​

How a Thai woman boasted about being showered in luxury gifts just hours before being arrested 'for filming herself having sex with monks to blackmail them out of MILLIONS'

A Thai woman arrested for allegedly recording herself having sex with Buddhist monks and then extorting them has revealed astonishing details of how they showered her with luxury cars and millions of pounds to fund a lavish lifestyle because they were so besotted by her. Wilawan Emsawat, 35, known as Sika Golf, is accused of blackmailing some of the country's most senior monks by threatening to publicise photos and videos of them having sex with her. She was arrested on Tuesday with police in Thailand claiming that she received close to £9 million after uncovering a cache of some 80,000 photos and videos allegedly used in the blackmail plot. But prior to her arrest at her luxury flat in the city of Nonthaburi, just outside Bangkok Emsawat gave a moving interview to a leading Thai news programme detailing her sexual relations with several senior monks, insisting that it was all consensual and that they voluntarily gave her money. She revealed that her first relationship with a religious figure was with the Chief Monk of Phichit Province in 2015, which is located in the north of the country where she was born and raised. He contacted her out of the blue on LINE, Thailand's equivalent of WhatsApp where they started chatting in a 'romantic way,' and became 'like boyfriend and girlfriend.' Asked where they had sex, she replied that it was in a 'kuti' a traditional hut designed to house monks. She said: 'He never came to my house or met anywhere else. I usually went to see him in the early evening, around 7pm or 8pm, when he called me over. 'It was like any normal situation where two people are emotionally close. It felt natural, and that's how it happened—we became intimate.' The Chief Monk she was referring to has been named as Phra Thep Watchara Sitthi Methi, 60 who was a monk for 40 years but has since left the monkhood following the scandal. Buddhist monks in Thailand, who are highly revered must swear a vow of celibacy and are not even supposed to touch women. Emsawat revealed that the Chief Monk of Phichit once bought her a Mercedes Benz SLK 200 for almost £70,000, a £50,000 jeep and gave her money whenever she wanted it, often running into tens of thousands of pounds each month. She told Honse Krasse, one of the country's most popular news anchors: 'He took care of everything for me. I wasn't wealthy or anything. He didn't give me a fixed allowance, but he gave me what I asked for. Sometimes thousands, tens of thousands, even up to millions of baht. He really took care of me in every way. Everything was good.' Police claim that of the near £9 million she is alleged to have extorted all of it has gone and they Emsawat only had £180 in her bank account at the time of her arrest. They allege that she blew most of the money on her lavish lifestyle and online gambling. She is facing charges including extortion, money laundering and receiving stolen goods but denies any wrongdoing. She revealed on the Thai news show that she was raised by a single mother who earned less than £2 per day and that they were desperately poor. She has been previously married three times and has three children, according to local reports. Her first husband was a naval officer, who she married shortly before her 18th birthday, but they did not have any children and split after a year. Then she had a relationship with a DJ with whom she had a son who is now aged 13 but the relationship did not last as he was already married with his own family. She then met and married a local doctor, who she names only as Dr Suriya with whom she had a child. But the marriage ended after two years, and she then married a local politician but is no longer with him. She revealed that at one point during her second marriage she was also seeing the Chief Monk of Phichit Province but around 2023 decided to move to Bangkok as their affair had come to the attention of local Buddhist leaders and generated controversy. But she revealed that he continued to maintain contact with her even when she lived in the Thai capital. She said: 'He asked me to send him inappropriate photos. There was one time he had an event up north and stayed at a hotel. I was also there with someone else. He messaged me saying what room he was in and told me to come see him.' Emsawat admitted that after resettling in Bangkok she also started having an affair with the Chief Monk of Phitsanulok, a city in the centre of the country. He has been named as Phra Ratcha Rattanasuthi, 54 who has also since left the monkhood. In total, Emsawat is accused of being involved with 13 monks nine of whom have already been disrobed. Asked how her affair with the Chief Monk of Phitsanulok started, she said: 'We had been talking for a while and became close. One day, he invited me to come to his kuti. I drove over, and he came out to see me. We sat and talked in the car. When I was about to leave, he asked if I could stay. 'He said, 'Can you not go? Just come back for a bit.' So I turned around and came back. Then he asked if I wanted to go for a drive? We went to the Buddhist college in Phitsanulok. We parked there and ended up being intimate in the car.' Asked if she felt morally comfortable with seeing him or any other monk, she admitted that she felt guilty because she believed it 'was a sin' but maintained that she was driven by financial necessity. She said: 'Yes. At that point, I was okay with it. I was just focused on doing whatever it took to give my children a better life. I already had two kids by then.' She added: 'I felt it was wrong, but I felt like I needed the money. I just wanted to survive because I had no one else to support me.' Police in Thailand told MailOnline that they started investigating Emsawat after a monk who was allegedly seeing her disappeared after she was accused of demanding close to £180,000 from him. They also received reports that funds had gone missing from several temples with their enquiries showing that the money had been paid to her. Emsawat was remanded in custody at Bangkok's Central Women's Correctional Institution and is expected to appear in court in two weeks' time.

Love, lust and lost funds
Love, lust and lost funds

Bangkok Post

time2 days ago

  • Bangkok Post

Love, lust and lost funds

A growing scandal involving senior Buddhist monks and a woman dubbed "Sika Golf" has gripped Thailand in recent weeks. The case centres on Wilawan Emsawat, a 35-year-old woman accused of forging intimate relationships with high-ranking monks and allegedly using them for financial gain, sparking a wide-ranging police investigation and multiple arrests. Who Is Sika Golf? "Sika Golf" is the media nickname for Ms Wilawan, as "sika" is a title for women used by monks. Ms Wilawan comes from Sak Lek district in Phichit province. Raised in a poor family, she left school without finishing Matthayom 3 or Grade 9 and moved to Bangkok to find a job. She has three kids. Her first child was with a DJ, and then she had two more children with an academic and a monk in Phitsanulok. How the romances started Her involvement with monks began in Phichit, when she received a Line message from the then-abbot of Wat Tha Luang, Phrathep Watcharasitthimethi. In an interview on the Hone Krasae television programme, she stated that their relationship soon became romantic. Over the course of two years, her life changed dramatically -- from having nothing to having everything she could want. "The [former] abbot took very good care of me. Whatever I wanted, he provided. One day, I said I wanted a Mercedes, and he bought it for me, paying three million baht in cash," she said. After the relationship ended (from 2013 to 2015), she became involved with other people, including monks, an academic, and a local politician. "I felt guilty. I knew it [having relationships with monks] was a sin, but I didn't want to struggle anymore. I wanted enough money to look after myself and my children," she said. So far, police have found evidence of her having romantic relationships with about 15 high-ranking monks, including abbots or assistant abbots in many provinces, including Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Chachoengsao and Khon Kaen. She was subsequently dubbed the "monk-slayer" by the media. What Triggered the Case? The scandal surfaced after Ms Wilawan allegedly coerced Phra Kru Siriwiriyathada, a former assistant abbot of Wat Sothon Wararam Worawihan in Chachoengsao, one of the monks with whom she had a romantic relationship, into filing a complaint against Phra Thepwachirapamok, also known as Chao Khun Archawa, the former abbot of Wat Tritossathep in Bangkok. She claimed the latter owed her 7.2 million baht in child support for a pregnancy that turned out to be false. Chao Khun Archawa was hastily disrobed at a temple in Nong Khai on June 27, sparking public suspicion and a media frenzy. What Did Police Discover? Following orders from the national police chief, police began investigating Chao Khun Archawa on June 18, led by Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pangkaew of the Central Investigation Bureau. At that time, police could not find the former abbot, so they searched the house of Sika Golf. Authorities raided Ms Wilawan's home, seizing mobile phones, a laptop, and documents. They discovered over 80,000 photos and 5,000 video clips, some allegedly used for extortion or blackmail involving numerous monks. Ms Wilawan was arrested on July 15. How Much Money Was Involved? Investigators found that Ms Wilawan had received 385 million baht over the years via two personal bank accounts. Much of this came from senior monks. She is said to have spent lavishly -- reportedly spending 3 million baht in one day on luxury goods and up to 500,000 baht per online gambling session. Her account now holds less than 8,000 baht. What Has She Admitted? According to Pol Maj Gen Prasong Chalermphan, commander of the Anti-Corruption Division of the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB), Ms Wilawan has confessed to all charges. She admitted to having deep relationships with several senior monks and said her behaviour was shaped by childhood trauma after being abandoned by her father. What Has Happened to the Monks? So far, 12 monks have been defrocked, including five senior-level ecclesiastical figures. More are under investigation, after videos or financial ties to Ms Wilawan were uncovered. One former monk, Maha Boonlert Chuaithani of Wat Mai Yai Paen in Bangkok, told police that Sika Golf approached him under the pretext of asking for help with religious items. He admitted to staying overnight at her home. He claimed she initiated an intimate encounter and later borrowed 100,000 baht from him. He said he now sees himself as a victim. What Charges Does She Face? Ms Wilawan faces four charges filed by the Anti-Corruption Division: supporting a state official in the embezzlement of assets under Section 147 of the Criminal Code; supporting a state official in the misconduct of duty under Section 157; conspiracy to launder money; and receiving stolen property. In addition, the Crime Suppression Division has filed three further charges against her: extortion, unlawful detention, and fraud. Investigators opposed bail, citing the severity of the charges, the large number of victims, and concerns that she may interfere with evidence or witnesses. What About Former Monks? So far, one former monk has been charged. It is the former abbot of Wat Chujit Thammaram -- Phra Theppacharaporn, now known as Sompong -- who allegedly transferred 380,000 baht from temple funds to Ms Wilawan. Police pressed two charges: embezzlement by a state official under Section 147 of the Criminal Code, and misconduct in office by a state official under Section 157. Mr Sompong confessed to transferring over 12 million baht of his personal savings to Ms Wilawan, claiming that she said she needed the funds to invest in a ceramics business. Believing her, he said he continued to transfer money until his personal funds were depleted. He then transferred 380,000 baht of temple funds to her. Mr Sompong cooperated with police, confessed fully, posed no flight risk, and was granted temporary bail for aiding the investigation and benefiting the case, officials said. Police are investigating other former monks to determine if they misused temple funds for personal use.

Thai woman, 35, 'filmed herself having sex with Buddhist monks and blackmailed them for millions of pounds'
Thai woman, 35, 'filmed herself having sex with Buddhist monks and blackmailed them for millions of pounds'

Daily Mail​

time3 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.

Charges mount against woman at centre of temple sex scandal
Charges mount against woman at centre of temple sex scandal

Bangkok Post

time4 days ago

  • Bangkok Post

Charges mount against woman at centre of temple sex scandal

Police charges are mounting against the 35-year-old woman known as 'Sika Golf' who allegedly had sex with many senior monks at well-known temples in many provinces and also blackmailed them. Pol Col Anek Taosuparp, deputy commander of the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), said Wilawan 'Sika Golf' Emsawat was charged additionally with fraud in connection with an old complaint from a former director of Buddhism in the northern province of Phichit. 'Sika' is a Thai word that monks use to address a woman. According to the deputy commander, the former Buddhism official lent 400,000 baht to Ms Golf, who claimed she needed money for medical treatment and pointed out that she had evidence a relationship with a senior monk in Phichit. The former director filed his complaint in 2016 and the investigation was first revived in 2018, when there was clear evidence of money transactions. The CSD is also prosecuting Ms Wilawan for alleged extortion of money from a former assistant abbot at popular Wat Sothonwararam in Chachoengsao province. Pol Col Anek said the woman's methodology was to develop a close relationship with a monk before shifting to money issues. In this case, police had proof the former assistant abbot transferred 8,000 baht to her associate. Pol Col Anek said the CSD was handling fraud and embezzlement cases concerning 'Sika Golf' and other people, and the police Anti-Corruption Division was proceeding with cases concerning monks' misconduct and embezzlement. Ms Wilawan was arrested at her home in Nonthaburi province on Tuesday and has alredy been charged with supporting a monk's embezzlement of temple funds, laundering money and receiving stolen goods. She is being detained at the Central Investigation Bureau in Bangkok. According to police sources, Ms Wilawan, aka Sika Golf, is a native of Phichit province. She was the wife of a local politician who left her after learning she phoned lovers at night and received banknotes, coins and daily necessities donated to monks and regifted to her. She reportedly had many pictures of monks on the walls of their home. The scandal around her activities erupted late last month when the abbot of Wat Tri Thotsathep in Bangkok disappeared. Police suspect she had tried to blackmail him. Police searched her house and found a number of mobile phones storing about 80,000 sex photos and videos involving many senior monks at many famous temples. About 15 monks are suspected of having a special relationship with the woman and nine were known to have already left the monkhood as of Wednesday, when an ecclesiastical chief of monks in the northern province of Phisanulok doffed his robes and reverted to being a lay citizen. Meanwhile, an assistant abbot of Wat Prayurawongsawat Worawihan in Bangkok has denied he had sexual relations with her, although police have copies of their intimate conversations and his photo on a chat app. Police said on Tuesday that about 385 million baht was paid into Ms Wilawan's bank accounts over the past three years and she lost most of it gambling online.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store