Thai police arrest woman for blackmailing monks

Thai police arrest woman for blackmailing monks

Thai police on Tuesday arrested a woman who allegedly involved a number of Buddhist monks in sexual relationships and then pressured them to pay large sums to keep their intimacy secret.

Monk scandal shakes Buddhism in Thailand

The potential breach of the celibacy rule for monks has rocked Buddhist institutions in Thailand in recent weeks and drawn public attention. At least nine abbots and senior monks implicated in the scandal have been stripped and expelled from monasticism, the Royal Thai Police Central Investigation Bureau reported.

Arrest and allegations against Wilawan Emsawat

Wilawan Emsawat, a woman in her 30s, was arrested at her home in Nonthaburi province, north of the capital Bangkok. She is accused of, among other things, extortion, money laundering and receiving stolen goods. Police said they transferred money belonging to a senior monk from a bank account at his temple in northern Thailand.

Financial machinations and sexual relationships

Wilawan has not commented since her arrest and it is unclear whether she has legal representation. Speaking to local media before her arrest, she admitted to a relationship with a monk and confirmed giving him money.

Just recently dived Scandals surrounding monks in Thailand, but these do not generally affect high-ranking clergy. The case highlights the large sums of money donated to temples controlled by abbots, a striking contrast to the modest lives they are supposed to lead according to the dictates of their religion.

The investigations and brutality of the blackmail

Wilawan specifically targeted high-ranking monks for financial reasons. Police discovered that several monks had transferred large sums of money after Wilawan began romantic relationships with them. Over the past three years, Wilawan's bank account received about 385 million baht ($11.9 million), with the majority of the funds spent on online gambling, police said.

Jaroonkiat Pankaew, a deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, said the investigation began last month after an abbot of a famous Bangkok temple abruptly left monasticism. Investigators discovered that the abbot was allegedly blackmailed by Wilawan over their romantic relationship. She had told the monk she was pregnant and asked him for 7.2 million baht ($222,000) to support her, Jaroonkiat told a news conference in Bangkok.

Security concerns and social reactions

The police said they considered Wilawan dangerous and had to arrest him immediately. Thai media reported a search of their cellphones that uncovered tens of thousands of photos and videos, as well as numerous chats showing intimacy with several monks, many of which could be used for blackmail purposes.

Thai monks mostly belong to the Theravada sect, which requires them to be celibate and avoid even contact with women. Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai ordered authorities to review and, if necessary, tighten existing laws regarding monks and temples, particularly regarding the transparency of temple finances, to restore trust in Buddhism.

Call to report misconduct

The Central Investigation Bureau has set up a Facebook page for people to report misconduct by monks. “We will examine monks across the country,” Jaroonkiat said. “I believe the impact of this investigation will lead to many changes.”