Thai woman accuses monk of groping her during blessing ceremony
A Thai woman accused a well-known monk at a temple in Pathum Thani province of sexually assaulting by grouping her breasts during a blessing ceremony for good fortune and business success.
The allegation came to public attention after a Thai woman, identified only as Emmy, shared details of the sexual assault on social media. According to her post, the victim was her friend, a 34 year old woman named Pui. The post quickly went viral, prompting Pui to later give an interview with Channel 8 to explain what happened.
Pui said the incident occurred on December 29 last year, when she attended a sacred ceremony at the temple in hopes of improving her business prospects and bringing herself good luck. The ritual was conducted by a monk aged around 70 years old.
She stressed that she was not alone with the monk at the time, explaining that many other people were waiting nearby to attend the same ceremony.
According to Pui, the monk instructed her to unbutton her shirt. She complied by unbuttoning two buttons. However, she said the situation escalated unexpectedly when the monk stepped closer and unbuttoned a third button himself.
Pui explained that the monk then used an iron rod to apply fragrant powder to her forehead, neck, and chest with his right hand. At the same time, she alleged that he used his other hand to grope her breast and leaned in to whisper in her ear, saying, “Your nipples are beautiful. Anyone suck them before?”
Pui said she was too shocked to respond and immediately rushed away from the ceremony. She later told her friend Emmy about the incident.
Initially, Pui said she did not intend to take legal action against the monk. However, after discussing the matter with friends and consulting a lawyer, she said she is now considering pursuing the case further.
She added that she believes she may not be the first or only victim of the monk. Pui urged other women who may have experienced similar incidents to come forward and seek justice, saying this was necessary to prevent further abuse.
The victim also called on relevant authorities to investigate the case and take action to ensure the safety of people who visit temples.
As of now, the monk’s identity has not been publicly disclosed, and the National Office of Buddhism has not yet issued any statement or taken action regarding the allegation.
