Thai monk in Isaan denies sexual encounter allegation with followers

A Thai monk in the Isaan province of Maha Sarakham denied engaging in sexual activities with his followers and accused another monk of attempting to tarnish his reputation due to a financial dispute.

The accusations against the renowned monk surfaced after the news Facebook page J Moi V+ (เจ๊มอย v+) shared the story yesterday, November 25. The page claimed to have received the account from a man who allegedly had a sexual encounter with the monk. The page posted the reported allegation.

“A renowned monk in the Borabue district of Maha Sarakham province, known for his beautiful voice during sermons, often hosts ‘one-on-one Dhamma sessions’ with his male followers at an accommodation by the river.

The monk is quite busy and communicates with his followers online. He has a large following, both Thai and Laotian, but seems to particularly focus on the Laotian followers.”

The “one-on-one Dhamma sessions” mentioned in the post were suspected to be sexual encounters rather than genuine Dhamma teachings. The online conversations between the monk and his followers were also interpreted as sexually suggestive rather than spiritual consultations.

The page shared screenshots of conversations with the man who claimed to have had a sexual encounter with the monk. The man alleged that the incident occurred at a riverside accommodation associated with a temple where the monk previously resided, not at his current location.

The monk in the Borabue district, Surachai, later admitted that the monk mentioned in the Facebook post was likely himself. However, he denied the accusations, insisting that the information shared by the page was untrue.

Surachai explained that he had a financial disagreement with another monk, with whom he worked together for over eight years delivering sermons. He believed that this monk had fabricated the allegations to damage his reputation.

Wanchai Thepwong, the leader of the community where Surachai’s current temple is located, told Channel 7 that Surachai resided at the temple for about four years. During this time, he contributed significantly to the temple’s development and had never been involved in any previous controversies.

The subdistrict abbot, Sud Pattanadarnkit, commented during a media interview that Surachai displayed effeminate behaviour and was often seen bringing male teenagers to his accommodation. However, Sud clarified that there had never been any formal complaints or allegations of sexual misconduct or violations of Buddhist principles before this incident.

The abbot confirmed that further investigations would be conducted into the matter.