Overview

• Police arrested 35-year-old Wilawan Emsawat on July 15 in Nonthaburi on charges of extortion, money laundering and receiving stolen property.
• Investigators seized five phones containing more than 80,000 photos and videos used to blackmail at least nine high-ranking monks now expelled from the monastic order.
• Authorities traced roughly 385 million baht in transfers from temple accounts to Emsawat’s bank accounts over the past three years.
• Royal Thai Police established a nationwide reporting channel on Facebook to uncover further monk misconduct.
• Interim Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai ordered a review of monastic regulations to strengthen financial transparency and restore public trust.