A woman in Thailand has been accused of blackmailing at least nine Buddhist monks and extorting around 385 million baht (₹102 crore) from them over the last three years. The woman, known as “Ms Golf,” used intimate pictures and videos to threaten the monks and take money from them.

What did she do?

According to a BBC report, Ms Golf had sexual relations with several monks. She secretly recorded the acts and later used those pictures and videos to blackmail them. When police searched her house, they found over 80,000 photos and videos used for blackmail.

The case came into the spotlight in June when an abbot (head monk) in Bangkok suddenly gave up monkhood. Thai police said Ms Golf had a relationship with this monk in May 2024. She later claimed she was pregnant with his child and demanded over 7 million baht in child support.

As police dug deeper, they discovered that many other monks were also blackmailed in the same way. This, they said, was her regular “modus operandi”, a planned way of targeting and extorting monks.

Where did the money go?

Police revealed that most of the ₹100+ crore she extorted was quickly withdrawn and used for things like online gambling. Ms Golf now faces serious criminal charges, including extortion, money laundering, and receiving stolen goods.

Trouble for Thailand’s monastic system

Thailand is a deeply religious country where more than 90% of the people follow Buddhism. Monks are highly respected, and it’s common for Thai men to become monks, even if temporarily, to earn spiritual merit. But this scandal has shocked the country and raised questions about what’s happening in monasteries. In recent years, there have already been other cases involving monks and crimes like sex offences and drug trafficking.

What’s being done now?

  • A hotline has been launched where people can report “misbehaving monks.”
  • Thailand’s Buddhist council is planning to review monastic rules.

The government is pushing for stricter punishments for monks who break religious or legal rules, including jail time and heavy fines. This scandal has deeply affected the trust people have in monks, and many are now calling for reform and accountability in religious institutions.