Cyber police arrested a well-known temple novice in Phichit accused of "possessing child pornography to seek sexual benefits." During interrogation, he confessed.
On 25 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Pol. Lt. Gen. Suraphol Prembutr, Commander of the Cyber Crime Investigation Division, along with Pol. Lt. Gen. Naradet Tiprak, Commander attached to the Royal Thai Police Office, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Songklod Krekkritaya, Commander of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, ordered Pol. Col. Thiranon Manmongkol, Superintendent of the Anti-Child Sexual Exploitation Internet Unit, and Pol. Lt. Cols. Khemathit Thongkham and Thanapongthach Onchumurat, officers of the same unit,
to lead a team with a search warrant No. 20/2569 dated 23 Feb 2026 GMT+7 to search a monk's living quarters at a prominent temple in Mueang District, Phichit Province. They arrested Mr. Sitthikorn Sonthirod, 25, a resident of Phichit, charged with "possessing child pornography to seek sexual benefits for oneself or others and knowingly distributing obscene computer data."
This followed an investigation on 23 Jan 2026 GMT+7 by the Anti-Child Sexual Exploitation Internet Unit, or TICAC, in cooperation with Our Rescue Thailand Foundation, which supports law enforcement against human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children. They arrested Mr. Kiti, 26, from Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya.
The suspect had created a secret Telegram group called “รวมงานซ้อแทนเจ้าแม่เงินกู้โหด” to share child pornography, charging membership fees. He reportedly lured minors under 18 to take loans, then forced them to undress and take photos with their ID cards as collateral. Among the victims identified was a 16-year-old girl.
Later, Pol. Col. Thiranon Manmongkol, Pol. Lt. Col. Thanapongthach Onchumurat, and Pol. Lt. Col. Khemathit Thongkham jointly expanded the investigation and found evidence that a Telegram user "ipxคนดี200%" sent videos showing plans to install hidden cameras in a public women's restroom. The suspect removed the bidet spray nozzle, urinated back into the hose mixed with his own semen, added thinner, then reattached the nozzle to maintain normal use.
He secretly recorded women using the restroom. One woman emerged appearing injured or distressed, likely due to harm from the tampered device.
Investigations identified the perpetrator as Mr. Sitthikorn, 25, a temple novice living at the temple. Authorities gathered evidence, obtained a search warrant, and arrested him, seizing two mobile phones and one borescope camera.
During interrogation, Mr. Sitthikorn admitted to molesting a 10-year-old girl and recording photos and videos. He said he had obtained the borescope camera intending to secretly film women in the temple's restroom but had not yet installed it before his arrest.