Father Pursues Case After Vietnamese Monk Assaults 12-Year-Old Nun
A 12-year-old Thai nun ordained at a Loei temple was sexually assaulted by a Vietnamese monk in May 2026; her father is pushing authorities to expedite prosecution after senior monks attempted to settle the case internally.
On July 3, 2026, a 44-year-old monk from Loei province sought assistance from Ekapon Lueanaprasert, founder of a justice advocacy page, to expedite the case after his 12-year-old daughter, ordained as a nun at the temple, was sexually assaulted by Vietnamese monk Si Tan inside his quarters on the evening of May 29, 2026.
According to the father, the Vietnamese monk had invited a group of nuns and lay followers to share a hotpot meal in his quarters—five people total, including the perpetrator, two nuns (one being the victim), and two lay people. During the meal, the monk consumed alcohol. Afterward, he volunteered to drive the temple's golf cart to take the two nuns back to their quarters, choosing to drop off the victim first.
The victim recounted that the monk forcefully pushed open her door and sexually assaulted her. Shocked and terrified, she ran to another nun, crying and recounting the incident before they informed the father. He immediately took his daughter to Nong Hin Police Station in Loei to file a complaint.
However, the father revealed that after the incident became known, some senior monks attempted to negotiate a settlement within the temple without filing charges. He refused, viewing it as a serious criminal matter gravely affecting his daughter's dignity and mental state. He was determined to pursue justice through legal processes.
The abbot initially consented to prosecution but suggested financial compensation. The father firmly rejected this, wanting maximum judicial accountability. After filing the complaint, he was ordered to leave the temple and vacate his quarters, with officials citing his disclosure of internal temple matters to police.
Currently, the victim has provided testimony before multidisciplinary professionals with medical examination documentation. The Vietnamese monk remains in custody pending trial. However, the father remains deeply concerned about potential delays in the investigation summary that could lead to the suspect's temporary release or bail, creating high flight risk given his foreign status. Meanwhile, his daughter suffers severe anxiety, fear of men, and inability to venture anywhere alone, prompting him to urge authorities to expedite the case.
