Phichit: Another senior monk at the abbot level in Phichit Province has been implicated in a scandal involving a video call where he expressed his love to a woman known as 'Ms. Golf'. Police are preparing to conduct searches across several temples and monastic educational institutions to trace the flow of funds.
According to Thai News Agency, the abbot reportedly told Ms. Golf during a video call that she was the first and only person he truly loved. Investigations revealed that the monk had maintained a long-standing relationship with Ms. Golf, regularly providing her with rent money. This case has sparked a broader investigation into Ms. Golf's affairs, which reportedly involve over 20 senior monks.
The Anti-Corruption Division police, alongside the Central Investigation Bureau, are set to search various temples and educational institutions to trace financial transactions, including evidence linking a former assistant abbot of Wat Prayurawongsawas to the alleged embezzlement of temple funds to Ms. Golf.
The investigation will proceed following a scheduled meeting at the Royal Thai Police Headquarters to establish a center focused on preserving Buddhism and promoting Dharma and Vinaya. This meeting, chaired by Pol. Gen. Kittirat Phanphet, the national police chief, will take place at 1:00 p.m.
It has also been reported that Wat Prayurawongsawas and the Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University Buddhist School in the Bang Pa-in area are among the locations targeted for the upcoming searches.