Reverence for the saffron-robed Buddhist monkhood is deeply woven into Thai society, but a sex extortion scandal has besmirched the clergy and left the devout questioning their faith.The scandal provoked outrage over hypocrisy in the monkhood,

A major scandal has erupted in Thailand involving Wilawan Emsawat, accused of blackmailing senior Buddhist monks through romantic relationships and extorting temple funds. Her actions led to the disrobing of several clergy members and exposed financial irregularities within religious institutions.

According to AP News, the woman, 35-year-old Wilawan Emsawat — known by the nickname Sika Kor, or "Ms. Golf" — had engaged in sexual relations with the monks, then extorted them by threatening to release photos and videos of the acts.