Shockwaves in Thailand: Woman Arrested for Blackmailing Monks After Alleged Sexual Encounters
Thai police have arrested a woman accused of having sex with Buddhist monks and blackmailing them using explicit photos and videos. Over 80,000 files were recovered, and nearly £9 million was extorted.
VERIEDIT AI 
BANGKOK, THAILAND -
In a stunning twist that’s sending shockwaves through Thailand’s religious community, police have arrested a woman accused of engaging in sexual acts with Buddhist monks and then using those encounters as leverage in an elaborate blackmail scheme.
According to Thai law enforcement, the unnamed woman secretly filmed her intimate moments with numerous monks over a period of time, amassing a staggering 80,000+ photos and videos. These files were later used to extort an estimated £8.9 million (approx. 415 million baht) from the men involved.
Police conducted a raid at her residence, where they reportedly uncovered hard drives, phones, and cloud storage accounts holding the explicit material. Authorities believe the woman deliberately targeted high-ranking or financially stable monks, knowing they would pay heavily to keep their reputations and the temple’s image intact.
“This case is deeply disturbing. It not only violates the moral fabric of society but also exploits those who are meant to live by religious discipline,” said Police Colonel Supan Yuthabundit, one of the lead investigators on the case.
The scandal is yet another major blow to Thailand’s Buddhist institutions, which have increasingly come under scrutiny in recent years. Reports of monks engaging in sexual misconduct, lavish lifestyles, and even drug trafficking have become alarmingly frequent, leading many to question the sanctity of religious institutions.
Thailand, where over 90% of the population identifies as Buddhist, is grappling with the growing disconnect between monastic teachings and the behavior of some within its clergy. While most monks lead humble, disciplined lives, cases like this threaten to tarnish the public’s trust in the entire institution.
So far, authorities have not confirmed how many monks are implicated in the current investigation, nor whether any will face charges for their involvement. The woman is currently in police custody and is expected to be charged with extortion, production and distribution of explicit materials, and possible violations of Thailand’s cybercrime laws.
As the country awaits further developments, one thing is certain: the intersection of scandal, technology, and sacred vows has cast a long shadow over one of Thailand’s most revered institutions.
