Women accused of seducing, extorting Buddhist monks for millions of dollars – National
Police in Thailand arrested a woman who said they were seduced and had sexual relations with Buddhist monks, and then blackmailed them at millions of dollars during the sex act.
Police said at a press conference Tuesday that Wilawan Emsawat allegedly had sex with at least nine abbots and monks. They believe she has received about 385 million baht (about 16.25 million Canadian dollars) in the past three years. Police said she spent most of the money she received on the online gambling website.
The scandal first attracted police attention in mid-June, shocking Thailand’s respected Buddhist institutions. The Royal Thai Police Central Investigation Bureau said that monks were based on strict celibacy actions, and those found to be trapped in violations have been dissolved and abandoned.
Scandals involving monks surfaced several times a year in Thailand, but usually do not involve senior members of the clergy. The case also attracted attention, a large sum of money donated to housing-controlled temples, in stark contrast to the false life they were supposed to lead under the precepts of their religion.
Police said Wilawan deliberately targeted senior monks for financial gain, noting that they found that several monks had transferred a large amount of money after Wilawan formed a romantic relationship with them.
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A police spokesman said investigators searching for her house found more than 80,000 photos and videos to blackmail monks.
Police said they first began investigating the case under the abbot of the Bangkok Temple last month.
On Tuesday, July 15, 2025, the Thai Central Bureau of Investigation held a screenshot of a press conference in Bangkok involving the arrest of a woman involved in a sex scandal that caused several senior monks to leave the monk.
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In their investigation, they found that the late abbot was allegedly blackmailed by Wilawan. She has told the monk that she is pregnant and asked him to pay a support payment of 7.2 million baht (more than 300,000 Canadian dollars).
Police believe: “This woman is dangerous and we need to arrest her as soon as possible.”
Acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai ordered authorities to review and consider tightening existing laws related to monks and temples, especially the transparency of temple finances, to restore faith in Buddhism, government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub said on Tuesday.
Jaroonkiat said the CBI has set up a Facebook page for people to report monks who have not yet been transferred.
“We will investigate monks across the country,” he said. “I believe the ripple effect of this investigation will lead to a lot of changes.”
Wilawan is now facing charges of extortion, money laundering and receiving stolen goods.
– Documents with the Associated Press
& Copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
