Featured Image Credit: ViralPress
Topics: Thailand, Crime, World News, Money
Emily Brown
A 35-year-old woman from Thailand has been arrested after allegedly seducing high-ranking Buddhist monks and extorting them for millions of dollars.
Police raided the home of Wirawan Emsawat, who is also known as 'Sika Golf', on July 4 as part of an investigation into the abrupt departure of a monk named Arch, who went missing from the Wat Tri Thotsathep temple in Thailand.
Authorities suspected Arch had been involved in fraud or love affairs, and linked him to 35-year-old Wirawan.
During the search of Wirawan's home, police discovered 80,000 pornographic files stored in five mobile phones, with files indicating Wirawan had engaged in explicit acts with top-ranking monks, who take a vow of celibacy, as well as with politicians.
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Footage showed one of the monks still wearing his saffron robes as he cosied up to Wirawan, while another clip showed a monk putting on clothes after an apparent sexual encounter.
Following the discovery, Wirawan allegedly admitted she had been coercing or blackmailing the men for money, and even had children with some of them.
Wirawan was arrested at her home in Nonthaburi province, north of the capital Bangkok, on charges including extortion, money laundering and receiving stolen goods. Wilawan’s bank accounts showed that she received around 385 million baht ($11.9 million) in the past three years.
Police have alleged most of the funds went towards funding an online gambling habit.
Jaroonkiat Pankaew, a Central Investigation Bureau deputy commissioner, claimed Arch was one of the monks allegedly blackmailed by Wilawan over their relationship. Wilawan is said to have told Arch she was pregnant and asked him to pay 7.2 million baht ($222,000) in financial assistance.
In the wake of the scandal, Police Major General Charoonkiat Pankaew, deputy commissioner of the Cybercrime Investigation Bureau, said more than 12 Buddhist temples were under scrutiny.
He said: "The scandals required further police investigation and action to ensure that the monastic institution remains composed solely of monks who uphold moral discipline.
"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, the highest governing Buddhist body in Thailand, added that monastic regulations were being reviewed as they were no longer suitable for current cases.
Acting secretary Chatchapol Chaiyaporn said: "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."
Chaiyaporn added that loopholes in monastic law need to be addressed in order to restore public trust.
The National Office of Buddhism has proposed jail terms of up to seven years and a fine of up to 140,000 baht ($4,303) for monks expelled from the order, with the same penalties applying to laypeople who knowingly engage in sexual acts with Buddhist monks.
The proposed sanctions are subject to approval by the Sangha Supreme Council.