The Thai police arrested Wilawan Emsawat (“Mrs. Golf”) for the alleged seduction of seniors of Buddhist monks and blackmailing them with intimate photographs and videos. Thirty -year -old focused at least nine abbot and high -ranking monks and violated the strict rules of the Thai Buddhist tradition of Theravada.
“Honey Trap” Scandal Rocks Buddhist community
Her scheme disintegrated when the prominent Bangkok Abbot suddenly left the monk after demanding 7.2 million baht ($ 222,000) and falsely claiming pregnancy.
The authorities seized more than 80,000 explicit photos/videos during the raid at its nonhaburi, and called it “dangerous” due to the scope of its operation.
The Thai police arrested Wilawan Emsawat (“Mrs. Golf”) for the alleged seduction of seniors of Buddhist monks and blackmailing them with intimate photographs and videos. Thirty -year -old focused at least nine abbot and high -ranking monks and violated the strict rules of the Thai Buddhist tradition of Theravada.
Her scheme disintegrated when the prominent Bangkok Abbot suddenly left the monk after demanding 7.2 million baht ($ 222,000) and falsely claiming pregnancy.
The authorities seized more than 80,000 explicit photos/videos during the raid at its nonhaburi, and called it “dangerous” due to the scope of its operation.
Temple Finances Fund
The monks reportedly paid Wilawan from temple donation accounts and transferred 385 million baht ($ 11.9 million) within three years. Police watched transfers from more monasteries and revealed how Abboti diverted religious funds, including the entire banking reserve of one northern temple.
Most of the money disappeared on online gambling sites, with investigators found only minimal remaining balances. The scandal emphasizes the huge, poorly monitored Thai gifts to 40,000+ temples contrasting the promises of monks of poverty.
The monks accelerated the reforms
Nine higher monks were excluded from many, with more investigated. The Thai King Vajiralongkorn canceled the royal honors from 81 monks to the scandal and quoted “great suffering” caused by Buddhists.
The reigning Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai ordered urgent reforms: tightening financial supervision in temples, creating stricter sanctions for misconduct and running a hot line on Facebook for public reports.
According to reports, the Sangha (Buddhism Managing Authority) will create a special committee for overwork of the monastic rules. Meanwhile, the police continue to analyze Wilawan, suggesting that more monks can be involved. While waiting for court, they face accusations, including blackmail and money washing.
(Tagstotranslate) Thai police
