A femme fatale who seduced dozens of celibate Buddhist monks to steal temple donations worth millions of pounds has been arrested.

Wilawan Emsawat, also known as 'Sika Golf', 35, was said to have slept with high-ranking religious leaders to raid donations before she was caught at her luxury home in Nonthburi, on the outskirts of Bangkok, on Tuesday.

Footage seized from her phone showed her having sex with an elderly shaven-headed abbot. In another clip, a different man was seen putting on his orange robes after a sex session.

Authorities said Wilawan was identified by cops who flagged a transaction of 380,000 baht (8,742 GBP) that was received from Phra Thep Phatcharaporn, the former abbot of Wat Chuchitthammaram in Ayutthaya.

She was detained at the Central Investigation Bureau in Bangkok to face charges of money laundering, supporting a monk's embezzlement of temple funds, and receiving stolen goods.

Police Colonel Anek Taosuparp, deputy commander of the Crime Suppression Division, said Wirawan's modus was gaining the monks' trust before developing a close relationship with them.

Officials said Wilawan had siphoned a staggering 385 million baht (8.9 million GBP) from temple coffers over the past three years.

He said: 'For cases involving senior monks for disciplinary violations such as temple fund embezzlement, those would fall under the responsibility of the Anti-Corruption Division.

'If it were other criminal offences relevant to women or other individuals, such as fraud or embezzlement, it would be the Crime Suppression Division's responsibility. However, as of now, there is no report of other charges.'

Wilawan is reportedly the ex-wife of a local politician who left her after learning of her infidelity.

The clergy scandal came to light while police were investigating the disappearance of a monk named Arch, who suddenly went missing from the Wat Tri Thotsathep temple in the capital. Authorities suspected he was involved in fraud or love affairs before learning he had a relationship with Wirawan.

A sweep of the woman's house on July 4 found a staggering 80,000 pornographic files stored in five mobile phones showing Wirawan in explicit acts with top-ranking monks and politicians.

Wirawan allegedly admitted she had been coercing or blackmailing the men for money, and had children with some of them.

Police Major General Charoonkiat Pankaew, deputy commissioner of the Cybercrime Investigation Bureau, said more than 12 Buddhist temples were under scrutiny following the scandal.

Ten monks have voluntarily disrobed, while more were expected to be implicated as police sift through the thousands of sex videos on Wirawan's phones.

The Sangha Supreme Council, the highest governing Buddhist body in Thailand, said monastic regulations were being reviewed to create more modern sanctions.

Acting secretary Chatchapol Chaiyaporn said: 'A new special committee will be formed to safeguard Buddhism, review the Sangha Act and other related laws, and enhance public communication. The proposal will be submitted to the Supreme Patriarch for approval.'

He added that loopholes in monastic law need to be addressed in order to restore public trust.

Ittiporn Chan-iam, director of the National Office of Buddhism, said the office was proposing jail terms of up to seven years and a fine of up to 140,000 baht (3,200 GBP) for monks expelled from the order over serious monastic violations.

The same penalties would apply to laypeople who knowingly engage in sexual acts with Buddhist monks.

Buddhist monks take a vow of celibacy to detach themselves from worldly desires, which are seen as obstacles to spiritual enlightenment.

However, the Thai clergy have faced numerous sex scandals over the years, eroding public trust in the religious establishment.