The key woman nicknamed “Golf,” who is embroiled in a Thai high monk sex scandal, was recently apprehended in a luxury residential area in Nonthaburi. She is charged with multiple offenses, including assisting in misconduct, money laundering, and accepting stolen funds.
Thai police stated that the 35-year-old Golf received 380,000 baht (approximately MYR 49,000) in temple funds transferred by the former abbot of Wat Chujit Dhammaram in Ayutthaya, Phra Theppatcharaporn, as well as 12.8 million baht (about MYR 1.65 million) in her personal account, which is also suspected of containing temple funds.
The 67-year-old former abbot left the monastic order the day before and admitted to making the transfers but denied having an intimate relationship with Golf.
Golf was arrested under a warrant issued by the Anti-Corruption Court. She is suspected of assisting a government official in abusing their authority and will be prosecuted under Article 147 of the Thai Penal Code.
The incident first came to light at the end of June, after the abruptly “missing” abbot of Bangkok’s famous Tri Thotsathep Temple was later confirmed to have left monkhood. Police investigation linked the case to Golf, and a search of her residence uncovered 5 mobile phones containing more than 80,000 nude and indecent photos and videos involving several high monks.
Police stated that so far, approximately 15 well-known temple high monks have been accused of having “unusual relationships” with this woman, nine of whom have already voluntarily left monkhood. Some monks are also facing criminal investigations related to temple property misuse.