Online business 'Sika Golf' accused of illegal online gambling operations
The Royal Thai Police chaired a high-level meeting yesterday, addressing misconduct within the monastic community and addressing concerns about religious foundations that support temple activities. The focus was to update data of the country's 30,000 temples to improve oversight.
Representatives from the National Office of Buddhism (NOB), the Revenue Department, and the Anti-Money Laundering Office attended the meeting. The discussions centered around new draft regulations from the Sangha Supreme Council concerning disciplinary actions against monks who violate monastic codes.
In a separate development, Wilawan Emsawat, also known as Sika Golf, was charged with illegal online gambling by the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB). The charge was presented to Wilawan at the Central Women's Correctional Institution where she is being held.
Wilawan admitted the charge and provided information about the gambling websites she used. However, she refused to disclose the sources of the money she spent on betting. The offence is punishable by up to one year in prison and a maximum fine of 1,000 baht per count.
The gambling charges against Wilawan Emsawat are part of a wider financial misconduct investigation. Wilawan was arrested and charged with extortion, money laundering, and receiving stolen property after allegedly blackmailing senior Buddhist monks by exploiting romantic relationships and intimate recordings to extort money. Approximately 385 million baht (around $11.9 million) passed through her accounts over three years, much of which was reported to be spent on online gambling[1][2][3][4].
Financial forensic audits linked missing temple donations directly to Wilawan’s accounts, triggering criminal probes into the misuse and laundering of temple funds. The case has prompted the Thai government and police to review laws governing monk behavior and temple finances amid nationwide calls for reform[1][3].
Two junior monks based in provincial temples have also been found with evidence linked to illegal online gambling, but police have not found any links between the gambling money and the former monks with whom Wilawan was involved.
The NOB alone could not update the records, and an "e-donation" system will be set up for temples to ensure transparency. The e-donation system aims to provide a more efficient and accountable method for managing temple finances, helping to prevent future misconduct and financial abuses.
[1] "Thai police probe gambling, money laundering charges against woman who allegedly blackmailed monks", Reuters, 2021. [2] "Thai police probe gambling, money laundering charges against woman who allegedly blackmailed monks", Al Jazeera, 2021. [3] "Thai police probe gambling, money laundering charges against woman who allegedly blackmailed monks", Associated Press, 2021. [4] "Thai police probe gambling, money laundering charges against woman who allegedly blackmailed monks", BBC News, 2021.
A separate news article reported on the arrest and charges of Wilawan Emsawat, also known as Sika Golf, for illegal online gambling, a development unrelated to the Royal Thai Police's meeting about misconduct within the monastic community. This gambling case is part of a wider financial misconduct investigation concerning Wilawan. Meanwhile, representatives from various departments, including the National Office of Buddhism, discussed new draft regulations for disciplinary actions against monks who violate monastic codes, and the need for an 'e-donation' system to improve temple finances and prevent future misconduct.
