In a shocking turn of events for Thailand's Buddhist community, police have apprehended a woman referred to as "Ms. Golf," who is accused of exploiting intimate relationships with at least nine monks to extort a staggering sum of 385 million baht (approximately $11.9 million) over three years. Law enforcement officials revealed during a press briefing that they discovered over 80,000 photos and videos in her possession, which she allegedly used as leverage during her extortion campaigns.
The investigation began in mid-June after an abbot in Bangkok left the monkhood in haste, reportedly in fear of Ms. Golf's blackmail tactics. According to police reports, Ms. Golf claimed she had a child with one of the monks and demanded over seven million baht in child support, highlighting a pattern of manipulation across multiple cases.
Authorities subsequently traced significant monetary transactions that had been withdrawn and noted some had been funneled into online gambling activities. Alongside charges of extortion, money laundering, and possession of stolen goods, police have established a hotline for reports regarding misbehaving monks.
This latest scandal has shaken the Sangha Supreme Council, which oversees the Thai Buddhist monastic community, compelling it to pledge reforms and review monastic regulations. Observing the severe consequences of these incidents, including the revocation of titles previously conferred by King Vajiralongkorn to 81 monks, there is a heightened push for stricter penalties against violations of the monastic code.
While over 90% of Thailand's populace identifies as Buddhist, recent years have seen a surge of scandals within the religious order. High-profile cases, such as those involving a lavishly living monk charged with fraud and another incident involving a drug raid on an entire monastery, have sparked public outrage.
Experts point to the rigid hierarchical structure of the Thai Sangha as a significant hurdle to accountability, where disclosing misconduct can lead to severe consequences for junior monks. Yet, some scholars believe the ongoing investigations are crucial for instigating meaningful reform within the institution.
Prakirati Satasut, a sociology scholar, emphasized the importance of transparency in assuaging public doubt about the integrity of the Sangha and hopeful for the potential changes heralded by these ongoing inquiries. "It depends on whether the Supreme Sangha Council will cut off some arms and legs to save the organization," she remarked.
The investigation began in mid-June after an abbot in Bangkok left the monkhood in haste, reportedly in fear of Ms. Golf's blackmail tactics. According to police reports, Ms. Golf claimed she had a child with one of the monks and demanded over seven million baht in child support, highlighting a pattern of manipulation across multiple cases.
Authorities subsequently traced significant monetary transactions that had been withdrawn and noted some had been funneled into online gambling activities. Alongside charges of extortion, money laundering, and possession of stolen goods, police have established a hotline for reports regarding misbehaving monks.
This latest scandal has shaken the Sangha Supreme Council, which oversees the Thai Buddhist monastic community, compelling it to pledge reforms and review monastic regulations. Observing the severe consequences of these incidents, including the revocation of titles previously conferred by King Vajiralongkorn to 81 monks, there is a heightened push for stricter penalties against violations of the monastic code.
While over 90% of Thailand's populace identifies as Buddhist, recent years have seen a surge of scandals within the religious order. High-profile cases, such as those involving a lavishly living monk charged with fraud and another incident involving a drug raid on an entire monastery, have sparked public outrage.
Experts point to the rigid hierarchical structure of the Thai Sangha as a significant hurdle to accountability, where disclosing misconduct can lead to severe consequences for junior monks. Yet, some scholars believe the ongoing investigations are crucial for instigating meaningful reform within the institution.
Prakirati Satasut, a sociology scholar, emphasized the importance of transparency in assuaging public doubt about the integrity of the Sangha and hopeful for the potential changes heralded by these ongoing inquiries. "It depends on whether the Supreme Sangha Council will cut off some arms and legs to save the organization," she remarked.
