A scandal involving Wilawan Emsawat has rocked Thailand's Buddhist community, with accusations of seduction and blackmail against several high-ranking monks. Emsawat allegedly lured monks into violating their vows of celibacy and then extorted money from them to conceal the relationships.

At least nine abbots and senior monks involved in the scandal have been disrobed and cast out of the monkhood, police said.

Police in Thailand arrested a woman Tuesday who allegedly enticed a string of Buddhist monks into sexual relationships and then pressured them into making large payments to cover up their intimacy.