Loei monk and alleged lover accused of lewd rituals on old locals
A senior monk in Loei and his alleged lover faced allegations of deceiving elderly men into a lewd “charm boosting ritual” involving sexual activities.
Residents and monks in Pak Chom district, Loei, shared details of the scandal with several news agencies on Tuesday, March 24. The allegations involve a 65 year old senior monk, Somchai Taechapanyo, and a man identified as Chon.
Somchai was described as the chief monk of Chiang Khan district and the abbot of Si Sawang Dham Temple. Chon was reportedly acting as his follower and assistant.
Locals accused Somchai and Chon of being in a romantic relationship. They said they saw the pair holding hands while leaving the accommodation within the temple and claimed they also saw Somchai washing clothes for Chon.
A monk at the same temple, Siphai Dhammakusaro, said the residents’ accounts were accurate. He said he and other monks had warned Somchai about inappropriate behaviour on multiple occasions. Warnings which weren’t heeded by the senior monk.
Siphai also alleged that Chon deceived elderly men in the community into attending a lewd ritual carried out inside Somchai’s accommodation.
A 65 year old man, identified only as Daeng, said he was among those approached. He told the media that Chon invited him to the accommodation at night, claiming a ritual would boost his charm and make his wife love him more.
Daeng said he was told to remove his clothes and that the ritual involved sexual acts, including oral sex. He said Chon later wiped semen with a sarong (a garment, part of a set of monastic robes) and gave the cloth to him, claiming Daeng’s wife would love him more if he wore the sarong when going to bed.
Following the allegations, Somchai moved to another temple. In an interview with Amarin TV, Somchai denied having a relationship with Chon and denied any involvement in the ritual.
Somchai said he had removed Chon from the temple a long time ago after residents complained about his behaviour. He also said he would leave his positions as abbot and district chief monk to demonstrate his innocence and ease local concerns.
The National Office of Buddhism had not issued a statement at the time of reporting. Following Somchai’s resignation and relocation, no further investigation or punishment was expected in the case.
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