Thailand’s Buddhist monks embroiled in sex scandal rattles faithful
broad re‑framing of monastic scandal in Thailand
Monks’ sacred image now shadowed by sex fraud
case details
- police arrested a woman who claimed to have 10+ clandestine affairs with monks
- she blackmailed them with $12 million worth of privacy shots, extracted from donations intended for merit‑making
- royal king cancelled more than 80 monks’ invitations to his 73rd birthday celebration, citing “mental distress” caused by “inappropriate behaviour”
- 11 monks have been stripped of their robes; the National Office of Buddhism vowed a comprehensive probe
traditional role of Theravada monks
- monastic life has guided Thai identity for 2,000 years, influencing laws that ban alcohol on religious holidays and protect sacred objects
- monks are expected to ordain at least once, caring on a mix of alms, food offerings and a modest stipend of about $170 per month, though some get pocket fees from lectures and blessings
- their rules include a ban on masturbation, touching women and handling objects directly from them
public reaction
- 32‑year‑old taxi driver Mongkol Sudathip said he now feels “not fully respect” the religion, and prefers to donate to hospitals or schools, “more meaningful than giving money to temples”
- the scandal isn’t the first; 2017 authorities raided an abbot for laundering $33 million, and this May a monk was arrested for embezzling $10 million for an online gambling network
- scholar Danai Preechapermprasit warned that “repeated scandals have shaken people to the core” and questioned the use of donations for “personal desire” rather than spiritual significance
- lawmakers plan tighter regulations within three months, including mandatory donation disclosures and criminal penalties for misconduct
monastic numbers slipping post‑pandemic
- Wat Bowonniwet in Bangkok ordained only 26 monks this year, down from almost 100 before Covid‑19
- an anonymous monk blamed societal isolation and a shift toward “living outside the temple life” for the decline
- independent expert Jaturong Jongarsa warned that temples are being treated as “garbage dumps,” where families send drug addicts and LGBTQ youth with the hope of “correction”
faith persists despite controversy
- security guard Camphun Parimiphut from Maha Sarakham said “Buddhism is about teachings, not the individuals who fail it,” and now favors only food donations
- he stressed that people can lose faith in monks but should never lose trust in Buddhist teachings, which still guide how to live a good life
In sum, the scandal has sparked intense debate about the integrity of the monkhood and the future of Thailand’s most revered religious tradition—testing the resilience of public trust in a culture steeped in Buddhist values.
