Thai lady arrested for blackmailing monks after intercourse with 1000’s of movies

[ad_1] Thai police have arrested a girl who allegedly had sexual relations with monks, after which used photographs and movies of the acts to extort cash from them.

The lady, who police are calling "Ms Golf", extorted at the least 9 monks, police mentioned at a press convention on Tuesday. They imagine she acquired round 385 million baht ($11.9m; £8.8m) over the previous three years.

Investigators who searched her home discovered greater than 80,000 photographs and movies used to blackmail the monks, the police spokesman mentioned.

This scandal is the newest to rock Thailand's a lot revered Buddhist establishment, which in recent times has been plagued with allegations of monks participating in intercourse offences and drug trafficking.

Police mentioned the case first got here to their consideration in mid-June, after they realized that an abbot in Bangkok had all of a sudden left the monkhood after being extorted by a girl.

Ms Golf "had a relationship" with the monk in Might 2024, police mentioned. She later claimed to have his child and demanded baby assist of greater than seven million baht, they added.

Authorities then found that different monks had equally transferred cash to Ms Golf - which police referred to as her "modus operandi".

Police added they discovered that just about the entire cash has been withdrawn and a few of it had been used for on-line playing.

When investigators searched Ms Golf's home earlier this month, they seized her telephones and located greater than 80,000 photographs and movies that she had used to blackmail the monks, police mentioned.

She is dealing with a number of prices together with extortion, cash laundering and receiving stolen items.

The police have additionally opened a hotline for individuals to report "misbehaving monks".

The scandal has prompted the Sangha Supreme Council - the governing physique for Thai Buddhism - to say it can type a particular committee to evaluation monastic laws.

The federal government can also be pushing for harsher penalties - together with fines and jail time - for monks who breach the monastic code.

This week, Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn revoked a royal command he had issued in June conferring increased titles to 81 monks. He cited the current instances of misconduct, which he mentioned have "brought about Buddhists to undergo vastly of their minds".

In Thailand, the place greater than 90% of the inhabitants establish as Buddhist, monks are extremely revered. Many Thai males additionally select to quickly ordain as monks to build up good karma.

However the Buddhist establishment has been tormented by scandals within the current previous.

Wirapol Sukphol, a jet-setting monk identified for his lavish way of life, made worldwide headlines in 2017 when he was charged with intercourse offences, fraud and cash laundering. And in 2022, a temple within the northern province of Phetchabun was left with none monks in spite of everything 4 of its monks have been arrested in a drug raid and have been disrobed.

Regardless of years of criticism about disciplinary and accountability points throughout the Thai Sangha, many say there was little actual change within the centuries-old establishment. A giant a part of the issue lies with its strict hierarchy, say specialists.

"It's an authoritarian system much like the Thai paperwork the place senior monks are like high-ranking officers and junior monks are their subordinates," non secular scholar Suraphot Thaweesak informed BBC Thai. "Once they see one thing inappropriate, they don't dare to talk up as a result of it is vitally simple to be kicked out of the temple."

However some see ongoing investigations, each by the police and the Sangha council, as a key step to push forward with much-needed reform.

"The vital factor is to disclose the reality in order that the general public can ease their doubts concerning the innocence of the Sangha," mentioned Prakirati Satasut, a sociology scholar at Bangkok's Thammasat College.