Bangkok, July 17 – In a scandal that has shaken Thailand’s Buddhist community, a woman has been arrested for allegedly seducing and extorting senior monks using intimate photos, videos, and chat logs. Wilawan Emsawat, a woman in her mid-30s from Nonthaburi province, was apprehended by Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) after a months-long investigation into suspicious financial transactions and reports of misconduct within the clergy.
According to Thai police, Emsawat targeted high-ranking monks, initiating romantic and sexual relationships in violation of their celibacy vows. She secretly recorded intimate encounters and later used the material to extort large sums of money. Authorities revealed that she had amassed over 385 million baht (approximately ₹100 crore or $11.9 million) over three years, much of which was squandered on online gambling.
At least nine senior monks and abbots have been named in the case so far. They have since been disrobed and expelled from the monkhood. The scandal erupted after one monk abruptly left the clergy and confessed to being blackmailed by Emsawat, who claimed she was pregnant and demanded 7.2 million baht to keep the relationship hidden.
During a raid of her home, investigators recovered tens of thousands of photos, videos, and chat records stored on her phone—concrete evidence of a pattern of systematic extortion. The police have charged Emsawat with money laundering, extortion, and receiving stolen goods. Authorities have also traced large monetary transfers to her bank account from temple-affiliated accounts.
CIB Deputy Commissioner Jaroonkiat Pankaew described Emsawat as a “dangerous individual” and said that the case would have widespread ramifications. “This investigation will lead to major changes across religious institutions in the country,” he stated, adding that more arrests could follow.
The scandal has not only exposed deep vulnerabilities within the Buddhist monastic system but also ignited a national debate about the conduct of religious figures and the need for greater accountability and reform. Emsawat, who has not made a public statement post-arrest, previously admitted to a relationship with one monk but claimed she had given him money rather than extorted it.
The investigation is ongoing.
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