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, often referred to by her nickname Sika Golf, faces allegations of being entangled in clandestine affairs with 13 monks, alongside charges of money laundering and handling stolen property.
Emsawat is believed to have amassed nearly £9 million, exploiting footage and images from her interactions with high-ranking religious figures to demand money.
Authorities from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), as reported by local Thai media, have found that five of her mobile phones contained videos and photos showing her involved in sexual activities with several monks, some of whom were still dressed in their traditional orange attire.
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.’
Wilawan Emsawat is accused of blackmailing Buddhist monks for millions of pounds
Ms Emsawat was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly filming herself have sex with Buddhist monks
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
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’.
Currently, nine-out-of-13 monks involved have been disrobed, and the number of individuals involved is expected to increase (file photo)
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 (file photo)
‘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.
