Restoring people's faith battered by bad monks

Bangkok Post

26-07-2025

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."