Thai woman arrested for blackmailing monks after sex with thousands of videos

Thailand police arrested a woman who allegedly had sexual relations with the monks, and then used photos and videos to demand money from them.

A woman who calls “MS Golf” required at least nine monks, police said at a press conference on Tuesday. They believe that in the last three years it has received about 385 million Baht ($ 11.9 million; £ 8.8 million).

Investigators who searched her house found more than 80,000 photos and videos used to blackmail the monks, a police press secretary said.

This scandal is the last at a very revered Buddhist Institute of Rock Thailand, which has suffered from accusations in the sexual offenses and drug trafficking in recent years.

Police said the case first came to their attention in mid -June, when they learned that the parish priest had suddenly left the monastic after the woman.

The Golf Mrs. had a relationship with the monk in May 2024, police said. Later, she gave birth to a child and demanded more than seven million baht alimony, they added.

The authorities then found that other monks similarly handed over MS Golf money – which police called her “Modus Operandi”.

Police added that almost all the money was withdrawn and some were used for gambling on the Internet.

When investigators searched at Ms Golf’s house earlier this month, they seized her phones and found more than 80,000 photos and videos she used to blackmail the monks, police said.

She faces several charges, including extortion, money laundering and obtaining stolen goods.

Police also opened a hotline to report the “behavior of monks”.

The scandal pushed the Supreme Council of Sangha – the governing body of Thai Buddhism – to say that it will create a special committee to consider monastic rules.

The government is also pushing for tougher punishment – including fines and imprisonment – for monks that violate the monastic code.

This week, Tsar Vajiralongcorn in Thailand withdrew the royal team, which he issued in June, giving a higher title of 81 monks. He cited recent cases of violation of the rules, which, he said, “forced the Buddhists to suffer greatly in their mind.”

In Thailand, where more than 90% of the population are identified as Buddhist, monks are greatly appreciated. Many Thai men also choose to temporarily put the monks to accumulate good stern.

But the Buddhist institution was suffered by scandals in the recent past.

Virapol Sukfol, a monk known for his lush lifestyle, made international headlines in 2017 when he was charged with sexual offenses, fraud and money laundering. And in 2022, the temple in the northern province of Fechanbun was left without any monks after all four of his monks were arrested as a result of a drug raid and were defeated.

Despite the years of criticism about disciplinary and accountability in Thai sanghu, many say that there have been little real changes in the centuries. Most of the problem lies in their strict hierarchy, experts say.

“This is an authoritarian system, similar to a Thai bureaucracy where senior monks are like high-ranking officials, and the younger monks are their subordinates,” said a religious scientist Surafesak. “When they see something inappropriate, they do not dare to speak out because it is very easy to expel from the temple.”

But some see constant investigations by both the police and the Sangha Cathedral, as a key step to move forward with very necessary reforms.

“The most important thing is to reveal the truth so that the public can ease their doubts about Sangha’s innocence,” said Satasut, a sociology scientist at Tomasat Bangkok University.

“It depends on whether the Supreme Sangha will cut off your arms and legs to save the organization.”