Authorities in Thailand detained a woman on Tuesday who is accused of luring Buddhist monks into sexual relationships and subsequently pressuring them to make substantial payments to keep their interactions undisclosed.
The alleged breach of the celibacy vows by the monks has sent shockwaves through Buddhist communities and captured the public’s focus in Thailand in recent weeks. The case has resulted in at least nine abbots and senior monks being defrocked and expelled from the monkhood, according to the Royal Thai Police Central Investigation Bureau.
The suspect, Wilawan Emsawat, who is in her mid-30s, was apprehended at her residence in Nonthaburi province, just north of Bangkok. She faces charges that include extortion, money laundering, and receiving stolen goods. Police investigations revealed money transfers from a senior monk to her, originating from a bank account linked to his temple in northern Thailand.
Wilawan has not made a statement since her arrest and it was unclear if she has legal representation. Speaking to local media before her arrest, she acknowledged one relationship and said she had given money to that monk.
Scandals involving monks surface a few times a year in Thailand but usually don’t involve senior members of the clergy. The case also puts a spotlight on the large sums of money donated to temples controlled by abbots, which is in marked contrast to the abstemious lives they are supposed to lead under their religion’s precepts.
Wilawan deliberately targeted senior monks for financial gain, police said, noting they found several monks had transferred large amounts of money after Wilawan initiated romantic relationships with them.
Wilawan’s bank accounts received around 385 million baht ($11.9 million) in the past three years, but most of the funds were spent on online gambling websites, police said.
Jaroonkiat Pankaew, a Central Investigation Bureau deputy commissioner, said the investigation began last month after an abbot of a famous temple in Bangkok abruptly left the monkhood.
Investigators found the abbot had allegedly been blackmailed by Wilawan over their romantic relationship. She told the monk that she was pregnant and asked him to pay 7.2 million baht ($222,000) in financial assistance, Jaroonkiat said at a news conference in Bangkok Tuesday.
Police believed “this woman is dangerous and we needed to arrest her as soon as possible,” Jaroonkiat said.
Thai media reported a search of her mobile phones revealed tens of thousands of photos and videos, as well as numerous chat logs indicating intimacy with several monks, many of which could be used for blackmail.
Thai monks are largely members of the Theravada sect, which requires them to be celibate and refrain from even touching a woman.
Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai ordered authorities to review and consider tightening existing laws related to monks and temples, especially the transparency of temple finances, to restore faith in Buddhism, government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub said Tuesday.
The Central Investigation Bureau has set up a Facebook page for people to report monks who misbehave, Jaroonkiat said.
“We will investigate monks across the country,” he said. “I believe that the ripple effects of this investigation will lead to a lot of changes.”
