
Senior monk linked to new scandal not from Bangkok, say police
The case is also separate from the 'Sika Golf' sex scandal that has rocked the Buddhist clergy, said Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew, deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB).
Recent reports circulating in the media had misinterpreted information supplied to police investigators about the new embezzlement investigation.
Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat stressed that the details received from a newly established centre handling complaints about monks' misconduct involved a prominent provincial monk and had no connection to any monks based in Bangkok.
'We are aware of reports circulating in the media, but police have not yet taken any action (against the accused monk),' said the senior officer known as 'Big Tao'.
He also dismissed as inaccurate speculation that the senior monk in question may hold the rank of Somdet, the highest ecclesiastical title. He said the monk held a high-ranking title but it remained unclear whether the rank was Phra Thep, Phra Phrom or Phra Somdet.
Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat insisted that the monk under scrutiny was not the one with the rank of Somdet who was widely discussed on social media.
The suspect has been the subject of long-standing complaints involving the misuse of temple donations, said the CIB chief. Several hundred million baht, raised from people over many years, were intended for the construction of a major religious site. However, the project remains unfinished after more than a decade.
'There are clear signs of misconduct. Some of the money was allegedly diverted for personal purposes, including supporting a woman,' he said. 'At this stage, we are not disclosing whose account the funds were transferred to.'
Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat said that while police do not have the authority to defrock a monk, they will present the evidence to the relevant religious authorities for consideration. 'If a monk lacks proper conduct, he should not be revered,' he added.
Asked whether an arrest warrant or search warrant will be issued, he said there is sufficient evidence to proceed but added that authorities would follow due process and not act hastily.
Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat emphasised that both police and other agencies responsible were working to root out improper behaviour within the monastic community to preserve public trust. He called on the media to refrain from sensationalism and stick to verified facts.
The scandal involving Sika Golf and senior monks has gripped Thailand in recent weeks.
Sika Golf, whose real name is Wilawan Emsawat, was accused of developing intimate relationships with high-ranking monks and using them for financial gain, sparking a wide-ranging police investigation and multiple arrests.
Ms Wilawan, 35, was arrested in at her home in Nonthaburi province last Tuesday and has already been charged with enabling a monk's embezzlement of temple funds, laundering money and receiving stolen goods. She is being detained at the Central Investigation Bureau in Bangkok.
Police searched her house and found a number of mobile phones storing about 80,000 sex photos and videos involving senior monks at many famous temples.
So far, 13 monks linked to the case have been disrobed. All will be questioned, including the latest, Phra Maha Yodpet, the former abbot of Wat Tha Bua Thong in Phichit province.

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Bangkok Post
a day ago
- Bangkok Post
Restoring people's faith battered by bad monks
The monastic order is reeling under public scrutiny after police uncovered a far-reaching scandal involving at least 13 monks, many of whom were former abbots or assistant abbots of well-known temples. These monks are accused of engaging in sexual relations with Wilawan Emsawat, also known as "Sika Golf", allegedly for her financial benefit. Authorities found Ms Wilawan has received 385 million baht over the past three years, and she is now in custody. The revelations have reignited longstanding calls for sweeping reforms in monastic governance, financial management, and disciplinary enforcement. Religious scholars are speaking out, urging changes to restore confidence and bring the institution back in line with Buddhist principles. Rewriting the rules Prof Uthit Siriwan, vice-rector for global research at Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, the oldest Buddhist university in the nation, believes the crisis marks a turning point. As a former monk with deep ties to monastic life, he argues that threats -- especially violations of celibacy and financial ethics -- require a systemic response. He proposes a sweeping doctrinal and disciplinary review, much like the one undertaken during the reign of King Rama I, when the Buddhist scriptures were examined and monastic conduct scrutinised. "That process took eight months then, but with today's technology, it could be done in three," he said. A working group ordered by the Supreme Patriarch is now revising disciplinary procedures, aiming to expedite investigations and impose meaningful deterrents. Verdicts on misconduct should be rendered within 10 days, not years, with digital evidence such as video clips now admissible. Key reforms include stricter enforcement of the Sanghadisesa 13 rule -- a serious offence under the monastic code (Vinaya), which traditionally covers flirtatious or sexually suggestive conduct in person. The revised approach seeks to extend its application to include online interactions, such as inappropriate chats, images or clips showing a monk courting or flirting with a woman would be grounds for immediate defrocking. "This standard should apply across genders and identities, including LGBTQ+ individuals," he said. On the financial front, Prof Uthit said that from Oct 1 new regulations will cap temple cash reserves at 100,000 baht. Accounting standards are being designed to apply uniformly, from small rural temples to major international institutions. Monastic watchdog Prof Uthit also emphasised the public's role in safeguarding the integrity of the monastic institution. "Most laypeople don't understand the Vinaya," he said, referring to the 227 precepts governing monks' conduct. "Just as citizens can't claim ignorance of civil law, Buddhists should be educated on what monks can and cannot do." He proposed the creation of an independent body with its own budget and staff to oversee monastic conduct. Such a "monastic watchdog" would complement the work of the National Office of Buddhism (NOB) and the Sangha Supreme Council, in much the same way anti-corruption agencies function in the government. When asked about criminal penalties, he said monks who violate major precepts should be treated as having forfeited their monastic status. He cited a proposal by the now-defunct National Reform Council to impose jail terms and fines on monks committing such offences. Though this was dismissed at the time, Prof Uthit argued existing laws already permit prosecution, but are rarely enforced. He added that while some of the 13 monks linked to the Sika Golf scandal may have been deceived or coerced, many had knowingly breached their vows. Alternative punishments such as extended meditation retreats may be suitable in less egregious cases, but others should face legal action under criminal codes for impersonating monks. Nevertheless, he said every case must be judged fairly. A former abbot of a Nakhon Sawan temple, who served as the provincial monastic chief, was seen wearing a wig, and was allegedly involved with at least three women. Prof Uthit called for due process regardless. "If it could be proven his conduct was intentional, severe punishment is appropriate. "But minor infractions might warrant community service rather than imprisonment, which wastes both talent and public funds." Changing from within Asst Prof Channarong Boonnoon, an expert in Buddhism and Buddhist philosophy from Silpakorn University, offered a more critical view of the monastic system's internal culture. While personally unaffected in his faith, he expressed concern over how scandals involving senior monks have eroded the institution's credibility. "The system isolates monks from public scrutiny. Abbots hold most of the power and often protect their own. "Even within temple communities, few people know how much money is collected or where it goes. "Most are only focused on whether to donate," he said. He believes empowering local communities to provide feedback and oversight could mitigate some problems without the need for new legal structures. However, he said temples currently answer only to the heavily bureaucratised NOB. This detachment leaves many feeling such issues are irrelevant to their daily lives. He was sceptical about the efficacy of simply passing new laws. "The laws are flawed, and new rules won't fix what's fundamentally broken. Something has been lost from the spirit of the monastic life, something that legal reform alone cannot restore." Regulations, he said, may address external matters such as donations or abbot allowances, but without inner transformation through Dhamma practice, loopholes will remain. On whether criminal penalties should apply to laypeople involved in misconduct, Asst Prof Channarong said civil law may be relevant in cases involving fraud, coercion, or blackmail, though not every consensual sexual act between a monk and a layperson constitutes a crime. "These cases wouldn't escalate if monks just admitted wrongdoing and disrobed. If a monk knowingly violates his vows but continues to wear the robe, the responsibility lies with him, not with the laywoman. Civil law should be applied judiciously, not automatically," he added. Despite the turbulence, he concluded with a hopeful note. He observed that while some Buddhists are disillusioned, many still separate the Dhamma from the flawed conduct of individual monks. "Faith cannot be imposed," he said. "Those without belief cannot be forced, but for others, this may be an opportunity to call for a cleaner, more disciplined Sangha."

Bangkok Post
2 days ago
- Bangkok Post
Monks' misconduct draws complaints
More than 100 complaints have been filed with a special centre recently established by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) to investigate allegations of misconduct among Buddhist monks, according to Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew, the bureau's deputy commissioner. Investigators have conducted preliminary reviews of the complaints and will proceed with cases where sufficient evidence is available, he said yesterday. However, Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat declined to disclose details, citing the sensitivity of the cases. Complaints lacking credible evidence will be forwarded to local police for further examination. If no legal grounds are found, the cases will be dismissed, he added. Among the most recent complaints is one submitted on July 23 against a senior monk in Bangkok's Phasi Charoen district. A group of individuals accused the acting abbot of Wat Luang Phor Opasi of sexual misconduct and questionable financial management of temple funds. The CIB has not yet assessed whether there is enough supporting information to pursue the case. This complaint comes in the wake of a broader scandal involving a woman known as "Sika Golf", who is alleged to have had romantic and financial relationships with at least 12 senior monks nationwide. The case has sparked widespread outrage and reignited debate over the declining moral standards within Thailand's monastic community. At Wat Dhammamongkol in Bang Na district, one monk, who asked to remain anonymous, recently expressed frustration at the impact such scandals have on other members of the clergy. "There are so many cases, some are impostors, others simply don't honour their vows," he said. "They tarnish the image of Buddhism and undermine the credibility of monks who are truly devoted." The fallout from these scandals is being felt far beyond temple walls. Pensri Boonmee, a 32-year-old florist who runs a shop near Wat Dhammamongkol, said she has noticed a significant drop in foot traffic. "Every time a scandal hits, there's a decline," she said. "But this time, it feels worse. My regular customers are visiting less frequently, and some have stopped coming altogether." Another Bangkok resident shared a similar sense of disillusionment. "I was never deeply religious," they said. "But these scandals have turned my indifference into disgust. We gave monks money, respect, and a platform, and this is what happens when we put them beyond scrutiny. Now, society is paying the price," he said.

Bangkok Post
3 days ago
- Bangkok Post
Thailand says over 100,000 civilians flee clashes with Cambodia
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