A 35-year-old Thai woman has been arrested following an explosive investigation alleging she seduced and blackmailed high-ranking Buddhist monks, extorting them for millions and sparking a wider scandal in Thailand’s monastic institutions.
Wirawan Emsawat, also known as “Sika Golf,” was arrested on July 4 after police raided her home in Nonthaburi province, just north of Bangkok. The raid was prompted by the sudden disappearance of a monk named Arch from the prestigious Wat Tri Thotsathep temple, The Independent reports.
Authorities initially suspected Monk Arch had been involved in either fraud or illicit affairs. Their investigation led them to Wirawan, and what they found was staggering.
During the search of her residence, officers uncovered more than 80,000 pornographic files across five mobile phones. Among the footage were explicit clips featuring Wirawan with multiple senior monks (some still in their saffron robes) as well as with prominent politicians. One video reportedly showed a monk getting dressed after what appeared to be a sexual encounter, per MSN.
The findings shocked the Thai public and clergy alike. Buddhist monks take vows of celibacy and are expected to live disciplined, ascetic lives. The footage, combined with financial records, told a different story.
Police say Wirawan admitted to coercing several monks and political figures, blackmailing them for money, and claiming to have had children with some of them. An investigation into her bank records revealed she had received approximately 385 million baht (roughly $11.9 million USD) over the past three years.
Authorities allege that a large portion of that money was used to support an online gambling addiction.
Deputy Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, Jaroonkiat Pankaew, said Wirawan had targeted Monk Arch specifically. She reportedly told him she was pregnant and demanded 7.2 million baht ($222,000) in financial support, a demand investigators now view as part of her broader extortion scheme, reports The Telegraph.
In response to the scandal, over a dozen temples are now under scrutiny. Police Major General Charoonkiat Pankaew of the Cybercrime Investigation Bureau said investigations are ongoing but insisted the goal was to protect the integrity of Buddhist institutions, according to The Sun.
“The scandals required further police investigation and action to ensure that the monastic institution remains composed solely of monks who uphold moral discipline,” he said.
“We have no intention of undermining Buddhism. However, we urge monks across the country to exercise caution when taking part in religious activities that involve laywomen. These individuals may present themselves as generous donors, wealthy benefactors or socialites, yet some may in fact be fraudsters seeking to gain the monks’ trust, engaging them in conversations via Line or telephone and secretly recording clips.”
The Sangha Supreme Council, Thailand’s highest Buddhist governing body, said it is now reviewing outdated monastic regulations. Acting secretary Chatchapol Chaiyaporn stated: “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,” per UniLAD.
Chaiyaporn added that closing loopholes in monastic law is essential to restoring public trust.
Meanwhile, the National Office of Buddhism has proposed new penalties, including up to seven years in jail and fines of 140,000 baht ($4,303) for monks expelled from the order, with matching punishments for laypeople who knowingly engage in sexual acts with them.
These proposals now await formal approval from the Sangha Supreme Council.
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