Scandal in the monastery: Woman arrested for seducing and blackmailing Buddhist monks

Thailand is no stranger to scandals involving Buddhist monks but this most recent one has shocked the nation a led to calls for changes. At least nine abbots and senior monks have been defrocked and cast out of the monkhood after it was discovered that they had intimate relations with a woman who then blackmailed them.

The scandal came to light after an investigation into a senior monk in Bangkok who went missing led authorities to the home of Wilawan Emsawat, a woman in her mid-30s. In her home they found incriminating evidence, including tens of thousands of photos and videos, that she had been extorting him and other Buddhist clergy.

Extravagant gifts and $12 million in blackmail payments

Police found that the missing senior monk, Phra Thep Wachirapamok, had transferred a large sum of money, to Wilawan’s bank account. She specifically targeted senior monks according to police who gave her large sums of money after having intimate relations with her.

In total she was sent roughly 385 million baht, the equivalent of $11.9 million, over the past three years by various Buddhist clergy to keep the violation of their celibacy vow secret. She also received extravagant gifts including a Mercedes-Benz SLK200.

She has admitted to giving some of the stolen money to another monk that she was dating but police say that she spent most of the ill-gotten funds gambling on online gaming sites.

Thai authorities investigate monks, seek to rebuild faith in Buddhism

So far only one of the monks involved has been charged but investigations into the others are ongoing.

Thai police of the Central Investigation Bureau have set up a Facebook page where people can report monks that are behaving badly.

Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, seeking to restore faith in Buddhism, has ordered authorities to consider tightening laws related to monks and temples, especially those related to temple finances.

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