BANGKOK – Two senior monks have been removed from the monkhood after police found more than 80,000 images and sex videos showing a woman with high-ranking clergy at several well-known temples in Bangkok and other provinces.
Officers from the police Anti-Corruption Division (ACD) approached senior monks on Wednesday. The police asked them to leave the monkhood voluntarily to try to limit damage to the reputation of Buddhism.
The monks stepped down after police found the images and videos on a woman’s phone. The material revealed sexual encounters between her and senior monks from well-known temples in Bangkok and other areas.
The investigation started when ACD officers found images and videos during a search of a woman’s home on July 4. The files, taken from five of her mobile phones, showed her with senior monks. So far, police have identified eight monks involved, with three already found to have broken monastic rules that require defrocking.
Monks Missing
Police first went to Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen in Bangkok to speak with Phra Thep Wachiwatheerakun, the assistant abbot. He had already left the temple a day earlier, reportedly travelling to Chiang Mai. Authorities are still trying to find him.
Officers then went to Wat Sothon Wararam Worawihan in Chachoengsao’s Muang district to locate Phra Khru Siriwiriyathada, another assistant abbot. He was not there either, having left for a religious event and not returned. His car was gone too, so the police began searching for him.
Later that afternoon, Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew, deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), led a team to find Phra Thep Wachiratheeraporn, the abbot of Wat Phra Phutthachai in Saraburi. Officers stopped him in Samut Prakan while he was on his way to buy a new robe.
When shown the videos and images, Phra Thep Wachiratheeraporn agreed to leave the monkhood. He was taken to Wat Trimit in Bangkok to officially renounce his status before the main Buddha image.
Shortly after, police found the former assistant abbot of Wat Paknam in Mae Taeng district, Chiang Mai. Phra Thep Wachiwatheerakun was at Wat Phrathat Sunantha. After seeing the evidence, he agreed to resign from the monkhood. Phra Khru Siriwiriyathada of Wat Sothon is still missing.
Scandal Causes Anger
Police say they are continuing to investigate possible financial wrongdoing. Authorities are checking if temple funds were used to support Sika Kor, the woman involved, or for personal expenses. This follows a previous case with Phra Thepwachirapamok, known as Chao Khun Archawa, the former abbot of Wat Trisossathep in Bangkok. He left the monkhood suddenly and fled to Laos.
These events have left many in Thailand feeling let down. Some people have voiced their anger online, suggesting it is better to donate to hospitals or schools instead of temples. Others encourage believers to keep their faith, pointing out that not all monks act in this way.
The scandal has brought new worries about the honesty of religious institutions in Thailand. Buddhism is deeply connected with the state, and these links sometimes lead to problems.
While the incident shows serious breaches of temple rules, it involves only a small number of monks. Media coverage of such scandals can create a negative image, which may hide the good work done by most monks.
Still, the repeated nature of these scandals shows that the Sangha (monastic community) needs stronger oversight to keep public trust. The absence of formal complaints in some cases, like with the extortion claims, suggests that cultural or institutional barriers can prevent legal action. This issue continues to need attention.
