A woman has accused a monk of sexual harassment. The Office of Buddhism revealed that the monk denies all allegations after an on-site inspection found no blind spots.
The victim claimed that a monk at a well-known temple in Nakhon Pathom Province molested her, whispering inappropriate remarks during a ritual: "Beautiful breasts, has anyone ever asked to see them?" She called for a fact-finding investigation. The Office of Buddhism inspected the site, reporting that there are no hidden areas in the temple and the monk denies all allegations.
The monastic community was shaken once again after a Facebook user named “Emmika Kru Emmie” posted a story about a woman who alleges she was sexually harassed after attending a blessing ceremony at a famous temple in Nakhon Pathom. The story attracted significant attention from online media.
In the viral video, the woman recounts that on the day of the incident, there was a charm blessing ceremony performed in groups of three. She was the last remaining participant. Upon entering the monk's residence, the monk asked her to unbutton her shirt, which she complied with, believing it was part of the ritual since previous participants were instructed to do the same.
Later, the monk asked her to retrieve an item, and in that brief moment, he allegedly sexually harassed her by touching her body and using inappropriate language. The woman was shocked and immediately left the monk's residence.
On 27 Jan 2026, reporters asked the woman for more details. She revealed the incident occurred on 29 Dec 2025. She attended with two friends, who did not participate in the ritual. During the ceremony, the monk used a metal object to bless her forehead, tongue, and chest near the collarbone for good luck, then placed a gold leaf on her face. After that, the monk grabbed her shirt collar to pull it wide open and slipped his hand beside her chest. She thought he might be old and weak and didn’t intend harm. Then, as he continued the blessing and leaned closer, one hand moved to the middle of her chest while the other pushed her bra down, squeezing her breast and saying, "Your nipples are so beautiful. Has anyone ever asked to see them?" Startled, she quickly pulled her shirt up, feeling helpless.
The woman added she had visited this temple three to four times before but never encountered this monk. She did not intend to perform rituals with anyone in particular, as her faith was in the temple rather than individuals. Other monks had never behaved like this. She trusted the temple deeply, considering it a spiritual refuge. She admitted she did not immediately protest due to shock and feared no one would believe her if she made a scene.
Regarding her decision to speak out now, the woman insisted she does not want to attack the temple, as she still holds faith in it. She explained that there are many good monks, but unfortunately, she encountered one who was not. She emphasized that she was not hired by anyone to attack the temple and hopes relevant authorities will investigate. She is still considering legal action.
After the video circulated online, many people expressed their opinions and criticism widely. Most agree the behavior described is inappropriate. However, some users questioned the story as one-sided, noting there is no clear evidence to confirm the incident actually happened.
Thairath online’s special news team contacted a source at the Office of Buddhism in Nakhon Pathom Province to ask whether the allegations have been investigated.
A source from the Office of Buddhism in Nakhon Pathom stated that on 27 Jan 2026, officials conducted an on-site fact-finding inspection around 09:30. The abbot reported that on 26 Jan 2026, the monastic committee had already completed an initial investigation.
The monk accused is a temple resident monk. In preliminary questioning, he denies all allegations. During today's follow-up inspection, the monk again denied the accusations.
Officials also inspected the temple and the monk’s residence and found no blind spots or hidden areas. However, the Office of Buddhism has not yet interviewed the victim as there has been no direct complaint filed.
Later, Thairath online asked Phra Kru Palat Sitthiwat, known as Luang Phi Namfon, abbot of Wat Phai Lom in Nakhon Pathom, about the facts of the incident being discussed.
Luang Phi Namfon said he cannot comment on the incident yet because a thorough investigation is needed by relevant authorities, covering both the monks and the victim. So far, no one has filed a complaint or reported the incident to him.
The incident remains under investigation by relevant agencies. The monk accused continues to deny all allegations, and no formal complaint has been filed by the victim. Society continues to follow the investigation closely to ensure clarity and fairness for all parties involved.