Thai Woman, 35, Arrested for Filming Herself Having Sex with Monks in £9M Blackmail Scheme

Wilawan Emsawat, 35, is said to have slept with several monks and has been accused of extortion

A 35-year-old woman has been arrested in Thailand after allegedly filming herself having sex with Buddhist monks and using the footage in a blackmail scheme worth over £9 million. The scandal has sent shockwaves through Thailand’s religious community, prompting nationwide investigations and a shakeup of monastic laws.

The woman, identified as Wilawan Emsawat, is accused of engaging in sexual relationships with multiple high-ranking monks and a religious professor. Authorities allege that she used the illicit footage to extort vast sums of money in exchange for her silence.

Emsawat being led away by police

The case came to light after Phra Thep Wachirapamok, a respected monk known as Arch from a prominent temple in central Bangkok, abruptly renounced his monkhood and disappeared. Investigations revealed that he had allegedly been in an affair with Emsawat, who claimed to be pregnant. When he reportedly refused to pay her a demanded £179,000 for her silence, she exposed the affair to temple officials, forcing him to flee the country in disgrace.

A police search of Emsawat’s home uncovered five mobile phones containing tens of thousands of files, including alleged sexually explicit footage involving the missing monk and other influential monks and politicians.

A sweep of the woman's house found thousands of compromising footage of the missing monk

Authorities believe Emsawat gained the monks’ trust before seducing them and secretly recording their encounters. In a televised interview, she admitted to having relationships with two monks and a religious professor. She also confessed to receiving lavish gifts, including a Mercedes-Benz SLK200 and large sums of money via bank transfers and a personal debit card.

Police have expanded the investigation to more than a dozen temples across Thailand. So far, at least nine monks have voluntarily disrobed amid the scandal, and officials expect the number to rise.

In one video shared by Thai police, a monk is seen resting his head on her arm before she slaps him

Police Major General Charoonkiat Pankaew of the Cybercrime Investigation Bureau confirmed that several temples are now under scrutiny as part of a broader inquiry into misconduct within the Buddhist clergy.

The Sangha Supreme Council, the highest authority overseeing Buddhist monks in Thailand, has pledged to reform monastic regulations. Acting secretary Chatchapol Chaiyaporn announced the formation of a special committee tasked with reviewing the Sangha Act and other legal frameworks governing monastic behavior. The committee will also focus on improving public communication and restoring trust in the religious order.

She is said to have demanded £179,000 in exchange for her silence

Ittiporn Chan-iam, director of the National Office of Buddhism, revealed that proposed reforms include criminal penalties of up to seven years in prison and a fine of 140,000 baht (£3,200) for monks expelled over serious monastic violations. The same penalties would apply to civilians who knowingly engage in sexual acts with monks.

Buddhist monks are required to take vows of celibacy, abstaining from all forms of sexual activity to focus on spiritual enlightenment. However, repeated scandals have undermined public confidence in the Thai clergy, highlighting the urgent need for structural reform and accountability.