Latest news with #Wilawan
India.com
16 hours ago
- India.com
Who Is Wilawan Emsawat? Thai Woman Who Trapped Monks With 80,000 Nudes, Social Media And Extorted Rs 100 Cr In Blackmail
Thailand is facing one of the worst and shocking sex scandals. Shocking because monks are involved. The accused is Wilawan Emsawat. The victims are monks and abbots among others. They were lured using social media. Then, their intimate videos were recorded. The same was used to blackmail them. Police have arrested the woman who was identified as Wilawan Emsawat. She lured Buddhist monks into sexual relationships to break their vow of celibacy and then used the videos/nudes to blackmail them and extort money. According to reports, at least nine abbots and senior monks involved in the scandal have been cast out of the monkhood. The Royal Thai Police Central Investigation Bureau said that they found messages and intimate videos involving several Buddhist leaders on her phones. They also discovered that she had used the blackmail money to spend heavily on illegal online gambling. Who Is Wilawan Emsawat? Wilawan Emsawat, also known as "Sika Golf," was arrested at her upscale residence in Nonthaburi, just outside Bangkok. The woman, in her mid-30s, is now facing charges including extortion, money laundering, and possession of stolen property. Police allege that Wilawan had sexual relationships with at least nine Buddhist monks. Several of them reportedly confessed to these relationships, which allegedly began after she contacted them on social media. One monk said he had been in a long-term affair with her and had even received a car as a gift—until he discovered she was involved with another monk, after which she began demanding money, said reports. Authorities believe Wilawan earned roughly 385 million baht (about Rs 102 crore) over three years through blackmail. Investigators say they found over 80,000 explicit photos and videos featuring her and various monks, all recorded at her home. These materials were allegedly used to extort money from her victims. According to media reports, the scandal came to light in June when the abbot of a Bangkok monastery abruptly left the monkhood. Police say he fled after being blackmailed by Wilawan, who later claimed he fathered her child. A Senate committee has now suggested changing laws to criminalize women who have sexual relationships with monks—a proposal that has sparked backlash from critics who argue that men should be equally accountable for their actions. Scandals within Thailand's Buddhist clergy, known as the Sangha, often involve either sex or money. But the involvement of such senior monks in this case has made it particularly explosive.
Indian Express
17 hours ago
- Indian Express
80,000 nude files, Rs 102 crore in extortion: How a sex scandal toppled Thailand's top monks
It started with a whisper inside temple walls. A respected abbot vanished overnight. Rumours swirled — of sex, blackmail, and betrayal. And then came the name: Wilawan Emsawat. But what started as a string of silenced scandals has now exploded into a national reckoning. Nine senior monks — abbots, no less — have been defrocked. Others are in hiding. Here is what happened? and how it came out? Wilawan Emsawat, also known as 'Ms Golf', was arrested this week from her luxury home in Nonthaburi, just outside Bangkok. In her mid-30s, Wilawan is accused of orchestrating a massive blackmail racket targeting Buddhist monks across Thailand. Police say she seduced monks, recorded intimate moments with them, and extorted large sums of money to keep the videos private. She's been charged with extortion, money laundering, and receiving stolen property. Investigators found thousands of explicit photos and videos involving monks on her devices, which were allegedly used for blackmail over a period of three years. Wilawan has not yet commented fully on the charges against her, and it remains unclear whether she has legal representation. However, as per The Guardian, in a televised interview with Thai media on Wednesday, she acknowledged having romantic relationships with two monks and a religious scholar. She claimed the men lavished her with expensive gifts — including a Mercedes-Benz SLK200, large bank transfers, and even a personal debit card. While speaking candidly, Wilawan expressed remorse over the entanglements, admitting she had genuinely fallen in love. The Royal Thai Police say Wilawan extorted approximately 385 million baht (Rs 102 crore) over the last few years. Her operation reportedly followed a pattern — she would befriend the monk, lure him into a relationship, obtain compromising material, and then begin making financial demands. Some monks admitted to falling in love with her; one said she gave him a car. 'We checked her financial trail and found that it involves many temples,' an official from the Thai police's central investigation bureau told a press briefing on Tuesday, The Guardian reported. 'After we seized her mobile, we checked and found that there are several monks involved, and several clips and Line chats,' he added, referring to the popular messaging app. According to the BBC, over 80,000 nude images and videos were recovered, including footage shot in Wilawan's home. Authorities say the money was partly funneled into illegal online gambling. The scandal first surfaced in mid-June when the abbot of the prestigious Wat Tri Thotsathep monastery abruptly left the monkhood. Police now say he was one of Wilawan's targets and fled after being blackmailed, with a a demand of 7 million baht in child support. Wilawan has since claimed that he fathered her child. So far, nine monks — including several abbots — have been defrocked, and at least two have gone into hiding. A Thai senate committee is considering a controversial legal amendment to criminalise women who have sex with monks — a proposal that has triggered criticism from gender rights advocates. Bangkok Post columnist Sanitsuda Ekachai condemned the narrative framing monks as victims and women as seductresses. She pointed out that traditional Buddhist teachings in Thailand often portray women as threats to male spiritual purity — a belief that has long blocked women from becoming fully ordained monks (Bhikkhunis). 'Women have long been depicted in mainstream teachings as 'enemies' of monks' spiritual purity. Some temple murals even show them as snakes. That's why the clergy still bans women from Bhikkhuni ordination.' 'This scandal exposes a system of lies and hypocrisy among senior monks,' Ekachai wrote. 'The sheer number suggests this isn't an isolated case. It's business as usual behind temple walls.' Religious scholars say the core issue lies in the rigid hierarchical structure of the monkhood, which discourages whistleblowing. 'It is an authoritarian system similar to the Thai bureaucracy where senior monks are like high-ranking officials and junior monks are their subordinates,' religious scholar Suraphot Thaweesak told BBC Thai. 'When they see something inappropriate, they do not dare to speak up because it is very easy to be kicked out of the temple.' More than 90% of Thais identify as Buddhists, with over 200,000 monks and nearly 85,000 novices at any time. While scandals involving monks and misconduct are not new, the sheer scale and seniority of this case has triggered wider concerns about corruption, moral decay, and unchecked power within Thailand's Buddhist clergy. The Sangha Supreme Council, the governing body of Thai Buddhism, has now announced it will form a special committee to review disciplinary codes for monks. Meanwhile, the Thai government is considering tougher laws that could impose jail time and fines on monks who violate monastic codes. In a sign of royal disapproval, King Vajiralongkorn revoked royal titles conferred to 81 monks, citing their misconduct as damaging to the faith and mental well-being of the public. (With inputs from BBC, The Guardian, AP)
Arab Times
a day ago
- Arab Times
Thailand Monks In The Middle Of £9M Sex Tape Blackmail Storm
BANGKOK, July 18: A Thai woman was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly recording herself engaging in sexual acts with Buddhist monks and using the footage to blackmail them for millions of pounds. Wilawan Emsawat, 35, known by the nickname "Sika Golf," is accused of having illicit relationships with 13 monks, as well as being involved in money laundering and the possession of stolen property. Emsawat reportedly extorted nearly £9 million by leveraging explicit videos and images of her encounters with senior members of the clergy. According to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), which was cited by local Thai media, five mobile devices belonging to Emsawat contained clips and photos showing her engaged in sexual acts with several monks, some of whom were still wearing their traditional orange robes. So far, nine of the thirteen monks implicated have been disrobed, and authorities expect the number of individuals involved to increase. A committee in Thailand's senate has proposed making sexual relations with monks a criminal offense. However, the suggestion has sparked controversy, with critics arguing that men should be held accountable for their own actions. 'This scandal exposes a system of lies and hypocrisy among senior monks,' wrote Sanitsuda Ekachai, a columnist for the Bangkok Post. 'Women have long been portrayed in mainstream teachings as threats to monks' spiritual purity. And now, when the clergy's moral decay is exposed, it is the woman who takes the fall while the monks are cast as victims.' The controversy erupted after Phra Thep Wachirapamok—widely known as Arch—the highly respected abbot of Bangkok's Wat Tri Thotsathep Worawihan temple, abruptly renounced his monkhood and fled to Laos in June. It was later revealed that the 53-year-old monk had allegedly been in a secret relationship with Wilawan, who claimed to be pregnant and demanded £179,000 from him. When he refused to pay, she reportedly exposed the affair to other monks, prompting him to leave the country in disgrace. Since police confiscated Wilawan's phones, several monks have admitted to having longstanding affairs with her—violations of their sacred vow of celibacy. All involved are expected to be officially disrobed under Buddhist monastic rules. One monk has even admitted that Wilawan gifted him a car during their secret affair. However, their relationship soured after he discovered she was also involved with another monk. When he confronted her, she allegedly began to blackmail him for money. Investigators from the CIB believe the scandal goes far beyond moral misconduct and may involve large-scale financial corruption. Records from Wilawan's bank accounts reportedly show transactions totaling £8.8 million over the past three years. Authorities suspect a significant portion of that money came from temple funds. Wilawan is also accused of spending large sums on illegal online gambling platforms. Police Major General Charoonkiat Pankaew, who is leading the investigation, said his team is carefully reviewing the video evidence to identify violations of monastic chastity. 'Anyone who breaks the monastic code must be disrobed,' he stated firmly. 'We aim to restore public trust in Buddhism. Human weakness exists, but it must not be ignored.' The scandal has rocked Thailand, a predominantly Buddhist nation where monks are expected to lead lives of purity and humility. Critics argue, however, that the religious institution has strayed from its foundational principles. 'Monks must ask themselves: Why did they enter monkhood? Was it for spiritual growth—or to climb the social ladder and gain wealth and power through the saffron robe?' Ekachai wrote. 'This is structural rot, rooted in a clergy that enforces strict control but lacks discipline. It is the bitter outcome of a system that has drifted far from the Buddha's path.' The case has sent shockwaves through the Buddhist world and raised urgent questions about transparency, discipline, and the growing moral cracks within Thailand's religious leadership.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
'$11.9m extortion ring': Who is Wilawan Emsawat? The woman at the centre of Thailand's monk scandal
A dramatic scandal involving Thailand's senior Buddhist clergy has gripped the nation after the disappearance of a well-known monk led to a web of blackmail, sex, and temple money trails. At the centre of it all is Wilawan Emsawat, a woman now accused of seducing and extorting powerful monks, and exposing a deeper rot in Thailand's religious institutions. The controversy erupted after Phra Thep Wachirapamok, a respected monk from a central Bangkok temple, vanished without a trace. Investigators soon found the trail led to Wilawan, whose home was reportedly filled with phones containing tens of thousands of compromising images and videos involving monks. Her financial records showed deposits linked to temple accounts, drawing in at least nine senior clergy who have since been disrobed or dismissed. Police say Wilawan used romantic relationships with monks to pressure them into paying large sums to maintain silence, money often transferred directly from temple funds. She allegedly claimed to be pregnant in one case and demanded 7.2 million baht from a monk who later fled the monkhood, the Guardian reported. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like See the original Harry Potter Cast Then and Now Watch More Undo Wilawan, now in her mid-30s, was arrested in Nonthaburi province on charges of extortion, money laundering, and receiving stolen property. She has not commented since her arrest, and it remains unclear whether she has legal representation. However, before her arrest, she admitted to relationships with at least two monks and a religious academic. She also expressed guilt, saying she had 'fallen in love.' Police say 385 million baht (around $11.9 million) passed through Wilawan's accounts in three years, much of which was spent on online gambling, as per the report. Thailand's acting Prime Minister has now ordered a review of laws governing monk behaviour and temple finances, amid growing calls for reform. The Central Investigation Bureau has opened a public tip line on social media for reporting misbehaving monks. Who is Wilawan Emsawat? Nicknamed 'Sika Golf' and believed to be in her mid-30s Arrested in Nonthaburi province on charges of extortion and money laundering Allegedly blackmailed multiple senior monks after initiating sexual relationships Claimed to be pregnant to extract over 7 million baht from one monk Received around 385 million baht over three years, mostly from temple-linked accounts Told media she had fallen in love with some of the monks and gave money to one Reportedly spent much of the funds on online gambling Phones seized from her home contained tens of thousands of compromising images and videos Police say she is connected to multiple temples across Thailand Has become a lightning rod in a scandal that has triggered broader questions about the abuse of wealth and status in Thai Buddhism.
Bangkok Post
a day ago
- Bangkok Post
Love, lust and lost funds
A growing scandal involving senior Buddhist monks and a woman dubbed "Sika Golf" has gripped Thailand in recent weeks. The case centres on Wilawan Emsawat, a 35-year-old woman accused of forging intimate relationships with high-ranking monks and allegedly using them for financial gain, sparking a wide-ranging police investigation and multiple arrests. Who Is Sika Golf? "Sika Golf" is the media nickname for Ms Wilawan, as "sika" is a title for women used by monks. Ms Wilawan comes from Sak Lek district in Phichit province. Raised in a poor family, she left school without finishing Matthayom 3 or Grade 9 and moved to Bangkok to find a job. She has three kids. Her first child was with a DJ, and then she had two more children with an academic and a monk in Phitsanulok. How the romances started Her involvement with monks began in Phichit, when she received a Line message from the then-abbot of Wat Tha Luang, Phrathep Watcharasitthimethi. In an interview on the Hone Krasae television programme, she stated that their relationship soon became romantic. Over the course of two years, her life changed dramatically -- from having nothing to having everything she could want. "The [former] abbot took very good care of me. Whatever I wanted, he provided. One day, I said I wanted a Mercedes, and he bought it for me, paying three million baht in cash," she said. After the relationship ended (from 2013 to 2015), she became involved with other people, including monks, an academic, and a local politician. "I felt guilty. I knew it [having relationships with monks] was a sin, but I didn't want to struggle anymore. I wanted enough money to look after myself and my children," she said. So far, police have found evidence of her having romantic relationships with about 15 high-ranking monks, including abbots or assistant abbots in many provinces, including Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Chachoengsao and Khon Kaen. She was subsequently dubbed the "monk-slayer" by the media. What Triggered the Case? The scandal surfaced after Ms Wilawan allegedly coerced Phra Kru Siriwiriyathada, a former assistant abbot of Wat Sothon Wararam Worawihan in Chachoengsao, one of the monks with whom she had a romantic relationship, into filing a complaint against Phra Thepwachirapamok, also known as Chao Khun Archawa, the former abbot of Wat Tritossathep in Bangkok. She claimed the latter owed her 7.2 million baht in child support for a pregnancy that turned out to be false. Chao Khun Archawa was hastily disrobed at a temple in Nong Khai on June 27, sparking public suspicion and a media frenzy. What Did Police Discover? Following orders from the national police chief, police began investigating Chao Khun Archawa on June 18, led by Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pangkaew of the Central Investigation Bureau. At that time, police could not find the former abbot, so they searched the house of Sika Golf. Authorities raided Ms Wilawan's home, seizing mobile phones, a laptop, and documents. They discovered over 80,000 photos and 5,000 video clips, some allegedly used for extortion or blackmail involving numerous monks. Ms Wilawan was arrested on July 15. How Much Money Was Involved? Investigators found that Ms Wilawan had received 385 million baht over the years via two personal bank accounts. Much of this came from senior monks. She is said to have spent lavishly -- reportedly spending 3 million baht in one day on luxury goods and up to 500,000 baht per online gambling session. Her account now holds less than 8,000 baht. What Has She Admitted? According to Pol Maj Gen Prasong Chalermphan, commander of the Anti-Corruption Division of the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB), Ms Wilawan has confessed to all charges. She admitted to having deep relationships with several senior monks and said her behaviour was shaped by childhood trauma after being abandoned by her father. What Has Happened to the Monks? So far, 12 monks have been defrocked, including five senior-level ecclesiastical figures. More are under investigation, after videos or financial ties to Ms Wilawan were uncovered. One former monk, Maha Boonlert Chuaithani of Wat Mai Yai Paen in Bangkok, told police that Sika Golf approached him under the pretext of asking for help with religious items. He admitted to staying overnight at her home. He claimed she initiated an intimate encounter and later borrowed 100,000 baht from him. He said he now sees himself as a victim. What Charges Does She Face? Ms Wilawan faces four charges filed by the Anti-Corruption Division: supporting a state official in the embezzlement of assets under Section 147 of the Criminal Code; supporting a state official in the misconduct of duty under Section 157; conspiracy to launder money; and receiving stolen property. In addition, the Crime Suppression Division has filed three further charges against her: extortion, unlawful detention, and fraud. Investigators opposed bail, citing the severity of the charges, the large number of victims, and concerns that she may interfere with evidence or witnesses. What About Former Monks? So far, one former monk has been charged. It is the former abbot of Wat Chujit Thammaram -- Phra Theppacharaporn, now known as Sompong -- who allegedly transferred 380,000 baht from temple funds to Ms Wilawan. Police pressed two charges: embezzlement by a state official under Section 147 of the Criminal Code, and misconduct in office by a state official under Section 157. Mr Sompong confessed to transferring over 12 million baht of his personal savings to Ms Wilawan, claiming that she said she needed the funds to invest in a ceramics business. Believing her, he said he continued to transfer money until his personal funds were depleted. He then transferred 380,000 baht of temple funds to her. Mr Sompong cooperated with police, confessed fully, posed no flight risk, and was granted temporary bail for aiding the investigation and benefiting the case, officials said. Police are investigating other former monks to determine if they misused temple funds for personal use.
