Three individuals apprehended due to suspected involvement in the 'Sika Golf' controversy
In a series of arrests that have rocked Thailand's monastic order, three individuals have been taken into custody in connection to the ongoing "Sika Golf" sex scandal investigation.
The investigation, which has led to at least 13 senior monks being defrocked, has uncovered a web of financial misconduct and extortion schemes. Wilawan Emsawat, also known as "Sika Golf," is the central figure in this high-profile scandal.
Wilawan, who is currently in detention, is accused of developing intimate relationships with high-ranking monks and then extorting money from them. According to police, she allegedly received about 385 million baht in payments over three years, much of which she is reported to have lost through online gambling.
Her modus operandi appears to involve establishing close relationships with monks, then shifting to monetary demands, sometimes using intimate recordings for blackmail. Police have uncovered tens of thousands of images and videos on her devices documenting these encounters, implicating at least 20 monks, many of whom fled monkhood to avoid defrocking.
Santichai Phongsaisi, a close aide and relative of the former abbot, was arrested in Samut Songkhram for facilitating financial misconduct. He is accused of misappropriating one million baht collected from private boat pier rental fees. Santichai faces charges of aiding and abetting a state official in committing malfeasance and dereliction of duty.
Thiwakorn Deephrai, the former abbot of Wat Yai Chom Prasat, was arrested at a meditation center in Surat Thani for malfeasance and embezzling temple assets. Investigators believe Thiwakorn transferred over seven million baht to Wilawan Emsawat. The allegedly diverted money was reportedly deposited into Santichai's personal accounts.
Mr. Wirat Watcharasitthimethi, a former abbot and ecclesiastical governor, is accused of embezzling a three-million-baht donation intended for Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Phichit Campus. No record of the donation was found deposited into the university's accounts. Wirat, the former abbot of Wat Tha Luang and a former ecclesiastical governor for the province, was arrested in Phichit. He faces charges including embezzlement and dereliction of duty.
The emphasis is on restoring public trust in religious institutions. Those found guilty, regardless of monastic status, will be prosecuted. The arrests occurred during raids on three locations in Surat Thani, Phichit, and Samut Songkhram.
Daily transfers of 500-3,000 baht were traced between 2018 and 2025 between Thiwakorn and Wilawan. Mr. Wirat is held at the police's Anti-Corruption Division in Bangkok for further questioning.
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Politics and the general-news headlines are filled with the ongoing "Sika Golf" sex scandal, which has resulted in arrests in Thailand's monkhood and exposed a network of financial misconduct and extortion schemes. Moreover, the crime-and-justice sector is investigating several high-ranking monks for embezzlement and dereliction of duty.
