Ex-monk fortune teller sex criminal

Lured 14 year-old schoolgirls into sex in exchange for black magic beauty rituals & then arranged sex with businessmen, police & soldiers for 3 to 4,000 baht.

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Crimes

Girls tell of trading pleasures for charm

A former monk is arrested as police unwind a sordid web of sex, lies and black magic
2/07/2012
Wassayos Ngamkham

A former monk has been arrested on charges of luring schoolgirls into having sex with him in exchange for performing superstitious rites that were supposed to enhance the girls' beauty and charm.

The parents of four girls, aged 13 or 14, filed a complaint with the Anti-Human Trafficking Division on June 25 saying their daughters were sexually abused by a man claiming to be a fortune-teller and a practitioner of black magic.

The girls are students at a school on Phutthamonthon Sai 3 road in Nong Khang Phlu area.

Not far from their school is a two-storey building which the girls would visit often - Samnak Mor Doo Natthari, or House of Fortune-Teller Natthari, as the sign outside the front door proclaimed.

For these young girls, Samnak Mor Doo Natthari allegedly became a lurid alternative to a beauty clinic.

Songwut Charoenkhunchai, 57, had been in the monkhood for 14 years and had learned astrology from a monk before starting up a black magic and fortune-telling business of his own.

Police say Mr Songwut used his practice to lure in female students, claiming they needed to perform certain rituals to get rid of their bad luck or correct their kam kao (indecent deeds committed in previous lives) to remove hindrances to becoming more beautiful.

Police acted swiftly after receiving the parents' complaints, concerned that more students would become victims.

"This case is not complicated, but it has an important effect on society," said the Anti-Human Trafficking Division's 1st region superintendent Pol Col Chittaphop Tomuean, who led the investigation into the accusations.

Pol Col Chittaphop divided his investigators into two groups. The first group looked into alleged irregularities at the fortune-teller's place, while the other interrogated the four victims in the presence of their parents, psychologists and social workers.

Soon they identified the suspect as Mr Songwut, who had been running Samnak Mor Doo Natthari in Nong Khang Phlu for more than 10 years.

Pol Col Chittaphop said his customers included female students of many schools in the area

The girls would follow their friends to Mr Songwut's house after learning from them that the black magic practitioner could help increase their charms.

After securing a court warrant for the arrest of Mr Songwut, Pol Col Chittaphop's team conducted a sting operation, using a female police officer disguised as a customer to keep a watch on him and gather more evidence of wrongdoing.

When the female officer was certain that Mr Songwut performed beauty-enhancing rites that corresponded to the accusations against him, she signalled for her colleagues to raid his house.

"He was arrested in front of three female students who were queuing up for the rite," said Pol Col Chittaphop

At his house, police said they found nude photos, sex toys, condoms, lubricant gels and pornographic DVDs. They also found white clothes used when performing the rites.

"I think what I've done is not wrong," Police quoted Mr Songwut as saying. "I don't lure or force them [to have sex]."

Police say Mr Songwut claims he let the girls decide themselves whether they were willing to take off their clothes.

As for having sex with the girls, police quote Mr Songwut as saying that the acts were performed in accordance with "the science of the rite", aimed at bolstering the power of the magic.

Pol Col Chittaphop accused Mr Songwut of luring girls into sleeping with other men.

Mr Songwut allegedly acted as a broker, delivering the girls to his customers for between 3,000 and 4,000 baht.

"His customers ranged from businessmen to police and soldiers," Pol Col Chittaphop said.

Police say Mr Songwut confessed to wrongdoing after undergoing an overnight interrogation by police.

He faces rape and human trafficking charges. Having sex with girls below the age of consent of 15 years is considered statutory rape according to Thai law.

Police are now on alert for other fortune-tellers offering similar services. Pol Col Chittaphop has told officers to keep an eye on fortune-tellers operating near schools.

Contact Crime Track: [email protected]

(Source: Bangkok Post, Crimes, Girls tell of trading pleasures for charm, A former monk is arrested as police unwind a sordid web of sex, lies and black magic, 2/07/2012, Wassayos Ngamkham, link) 


Sex Offender Vocabulary

sex offender - a person who has committed a sex crime, in many countries they must register with authorities whereever they live so that people living nearby can know and take precautions (See Wikipedia)

sex crime - sexual acts that are illegal such as rape, having sex with a child (statutory rape), performing some sexual act with a child (child molestation), having sex with a close family member (incest), having sex with an animal (bestiality) and other sexual behaviour that violates social norms (See Wikipedia)

sexual abuse - same as "sex crime"
sexually abused

child molestation - child sexual abuse: "a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities (regardless of the outcome), indecent exposure (of the genitals, female nipples, etc.) with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to intimidate or groom the child, physical sexual contact with a child, or using a child to produce child pornography" (See Wikipedia)

astrology - the study of the movements and positions of the sun, moon, planets and stars, and the skill of describing the expected effect that these are believed to have on the character and behaviour of humans โหราศาสตร์ (See Wikipedia)

fortune-telling - a person who claims to be able to tell people what will happen in their future (See Wikipedia) พยากรณ์, ชื่อคัมภีร์โหราศาสตร์ว่าด้วยการทำนาย, ญาณศาสตร์   

fortune-teller - a person who does fortune telling หมอดู

black magic - the use of supernatural powers for evil and selfish purposes (See Wikipedia)
supernatural powers - not following and obeying to the laws of nature, above and beyond nature

practice - a way of doing something (that people do regularly) การปฏิบัติ
practitioner of black magic

social norms - standards of behaviour in society; the ways that a society expects people to behave

trading X for Y - giving X to get Y

girls tell of trading pleasures for charm

unwind - gradually discover what happened in a complicated complex situation
unwind a sordid web of
sordid - dirty

a former monk is arrested as police unwind a sordid web of sex, lies and black magic

charges - bring a criminal case against a person

lure - to persuade someone to do something by making seem very attractive; make people go to a place or do something by using a trick หลอกล่อ (See glossary)

lure to have sex
luring schoolgirls into having sex with him

in exchange for - give one thing to get another thing

rites - a traditional ceremony, especially a religious one พิธี
superstitious - believing the power of magic or luck

superstitious rites
performing superstitious rites

enhance - increase or improve the quality, amount or strength of something ปรับปรุง, ทำให้ดีขึ้น ทำให้ดีเพิ่มขึ้น
supposed to - people believe this should happen  ...

charm - a personal quality that attracts people to you and makes you like them
increase their charms

enhance the girls' beauty - increase the girls' beauty
supposed to enhance the girls' beauty and charm

A former monk has been arrested on charges of luring schoolgirls into having sex with him in exchange for performing superstitious rites that were supposed to enhance the girls' beauty and charm.

filed - to take official action, e.g., to make a formal complaint ยื่นฟ้องร้อง
complaint - when someone says that something is wrong or not satisfactory การร้องเรียน
file a complaint - ask the government or police to deal with someone breaking the law

proclaim - state or say something publicly (in a way that many people can see it)

lurid - full of unpleasant or sexual details that are shocking to people

alternative - another choice ตัวเลือก / ทางเลือก
lurid alternative

allegedly - claimed to be true, but not yet proven ที่ถูกกล่าวหา
allegedly became a lurid alternative to a beauty clinic

The parents of four girls, aged 13 or 14, filed a complaint with the Anti-Human Trafficking Division on June 25 saying their daughters were sexually abused by a man claiming to be a fortune-teller and a practitioner of black magic. The girls are students at a school on Phutthamonthon Sai 3 road in Nong Khang Phlu area. Not far from their school is a two-storey building which the girls would visit often - Samnak Mor Doo Natthari, or House of Fortune-Teller Natthari, as the sign outside the front door proclaimed. For these young girls, Samnak Mor Doo Natthari allegedly became a lurid alternative to a beauty clinic.

monkhood - when a person is a monk, the state, condition or life of a monk

female - of a woman สำหรับผู้หญิง
used his practice to lure in female students

rituals
perform rituals

kam - Same as "karma"
karma - fortune, fate กรรม
kam kao  - indecent deeds committed in previous lives

remove - to take something away เอาออกจาก
hindrances - things that prevent you from doing something; makes doing it more difficult

remove hindrances
remove hindrances to becoming more beautiful

Songwut Charoenkhunchai, 57, had been in the monkhood for 14 years and had learned astrology from a monk before starting up a black magic and fortune-telling business of his own. Police say Mr Songwut used his practice to lure in female students, claiming they needed to perform certain rituals to get rid of their bad luck or correct their kam kao (indecent deeds committed in previous lives) to remove hindrances to becoming more beautiful.

swiftly - happening quickly อย่างรวดเร็ว โดยด่วน
acted swiftly

complaints - when people say there is something wrong and they want it changed
parents' complaints

victims - people who are killed injured or harmed in some way from an accident, natural disaster, crime, etc.
concerned - worried about something มีความกังวล
concerned that more students would become victims

Police acted swiftly after receiving the parents' complaints, concerned that more students would become victims.

complicated - difficult to understand and deal with ที่ซับซ้อน
this case is not complicated

investigation - the process of trying to find out all the details or facts about event in order to discover who or what caused it or how it happened การตรวจสอบหาข้อเท็จจริง the process of trying to find out all the details or facts about something การสอบสวน
accusations - bad things that others say that you have done (but not yet proven)

led the investigation into the accusations

"This case is not complicated, but it has an important effect on society," said the Anti-Human Trafficking Division's 1st region superintendent Pol Col Chittaphop Tomuean, who led the investigation into the accusations.

alleged - claimed, but not yet proven ที่ถูกกล่าวหา
irregularities - things that are not normal and therefore suspicious (might indicate corruption or wrong-doing) ความไม่สงบ
alleged irregularities

presence - when someone or something is in a place การอยู่ในสถานที่หนึ่ง (ของบุคคล)
in the presence of

interrogated  - when the police ask someone questions (when they are investigating a crime)
interrogated the four victims
interrogated in the presence of their parents

social worker - a person who works in a local area (community) in some way to improve the lives of the people living there (See Wikipedia)

Pol Col Chittaphop divided his investigators into two groups. The first group looked into alleged irregularities at the fortune-teller's place, while the other interrogated the four victims in the presence of their parents, psychologists and social workers.

suspect - a person who is thought to have committed a crime ผู้ต้องสงสัย

identified - find and name someone you are looking for ระบุชื่อ
identified the suspect

Soon they identified the suspect as Mr Songwut, who had been running Samnak Mor Doo Natthari in Nong Khang Phlu for more than 10 years. Pol Col Chittaphop said his customers included female students of many schools in the area. The girls would follow their friends to Mr Songwut's house after learning from them that the black magic practitioner could help increase their charms.

arrest warrant  - an official document and order from a court of law to arrest a person (for a crime they are believed to have committed)

secure a court warrant - to get an arrest warrant for as suspect from a court of law 
warrant for the arrest of Mr Songwut

sting operation - when the police pretend they are a criminal partner or potential victim to catch a criminal and gather evidence of the suspect's wrongdoing.(See Wikipedia)

conducted a sting operation

disguised - identity is hidden, don't know who or what it really is
a female police officer disguised as a customer

evidence - facts statements or objects that help to prove whether or not someone has committed a crime หลักฐาน  หลักฐานประกอบการไต่สวนคดี หรือพิจารณาคดี

wrongdoing - behaviour that is illegal or immoral
gather evidence of wrongdoing

After securing a court warrant for the arrest of Mr Songwut, Pol Col Chittaphop's team conducted a sting operation, using a female police officer disguised as a customer to keep a watch on him and gather more evidence of wrongdoing

rite - a traditional ceremony, especially a religious one พิธีกรรม (พระราชพิธี)
perform rite

enhance
beauty enhancing rites

signalled
colleagues - the people you work with

raid - to forcefully and suddenly enter a place to catch criminals or to search for something like drugs or, in this case, fake passports ใช้กำลังเข้าค้นสถานที่หรือ จับกุมคนร้าย

queuing up for - when people stand in a line to get something 

When the female officer was certain that Mr Songwut performed beauty-enhancing rites that corresponded to the accusations against him, she signalled for her colleagues to raid his house. "He was arrested in front of three female students who were queuing up for the rite," said Pol Col Chittaphop

nude - not wearing any clothes เปลือยกาย
nude photos
sex toys
condoms
lubricant gels
pornographic DVDs

force - 1. make someone do something they do not want to do; 2. strong and violent action กำลัง ความรุนแรง
force to have sex

acts - actions การกระทำ
acts were performed in accordance with

bolster - increase
bolstering the power of the magic

At his house, police said they found nude photos, sex toys, condoms, lubricant gels and pornographic DVDs. They also found white clothes used when performing the rites.  "I think what I've done is not wrong," Police quoted Mr Songwut as saying. "I don't lure or force them [to have sex."  Police say Mr Songwut claims he let the girls decide themselves whether they were willing to take off their clothes.  As for having sex with the girls, police quote Mr Songwut as saying that the acts were performed in accordance with "the science of the rite", aimed at bolstering the power of the magic.

broker - a person who brings together a buyer with a seller of some good

ranged from X to Y
customers ranged from businessmen to police and soldiers

confessed to wrongdoing - say that you did something wrong (committed a crime)

interrogation - asking someone a lot of questions in order to get information การสอบถาม, การซักถาม
undergoing overnight interrogation by the police

rape - the crime of forcefully having sex with someone against their wish การข่มขืน

human trafficking - buying and selling people (for purposes of sex, for example)
the age of consent - the age that a person can before it is legal for another person to have sex with them

on alert - prepared to deal with something dangerous ตื่นตัว ระวัง

keep an eye on - watch; watch closely what someone does

Pol Col Chittaphop accused Mr Songwut of luring girls into sleeping with other men.Mr Songwut allegedly acted as a broker, delivering the girls to his customers for between 3,000 and 4,000 baht."His customers ranged from businessmen to police and soldiers," Pol Col Chittaphop said. Police say Mr Songwut confessed to wrongdoing after undergoing an overnight interrogation by police. He faces rape and human trafficking charges. Having sex with girls below the age of consent of 15 years is considered statutory rape according to Thai law. Police are now on alert for other fortune-tellers offering similar services. Pol Col Chittaphop has told officers to keep an eye on fortune-tellers operating near schools.