Police are probing the finances of a Buddhist temple after its abbot was caught in a femme fatale sex scandal in Thailand.

The Central Investigation Bureau stormed the Wat Tha Luang temple in Phichit as authorities investigate corruption in the country's religious order on July 16.

The former temple abbot, Phra Thep Watcharasitthimethi, was among a string of high-ranking monks accused of funneling temple funds to 'femme fatale' Wirawan Emsawat, also known as Sika Golf, 35, who allegedly seduced them to gain access to the money.

He voluntarily disrobed from monkhood on July 15, and officers were sent to audit the temple's assets dating back to 2015 when he first took office.

During investigations, the Central Investigation Bureau flagged a missing financial report from 2019.

Temple staff claimed the document was handled by the former temple secretary Phra Maha Worapol, who died in a car accident resulting in its disappearance. They added there were no suspicious transactions from the temple at the time.

They have also handed over 30 passbooks to the officials.

Lay administrator Polkit Meesri said: 'The Office of Buddhism in Phichit Province inspects us every year, along with the previous NACC Phichit, the Office of the Auditor General of Phichit, and the central office. None of them have found any wrongdoing or deficiencies.'

Thailand's Buddhist clergy was rocked by a sex and corruption scandal after top religious leaders were found to have had sexual relations with seductress Wilawan, who allegedly stole a staggering 385 million baht (8.9 million GBP) from temple coffers.

She was arrested at her luxury home in Bangkok on July 15 over charges of money laundering, supporting a monk's embezzlement of temple funds, and receiving stolen goods.

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.