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Smilegate Unveils Chaos Zero Nightmare OST “OVER//RIDE,” Performed by hololive English

  • The newly revealed soundtrack “OVER//RIDE” blends rock and metal, created in collaboration with hololive English
  • Performed by hololive English talents “Mori Calliope” and “Nerissa Ravencroft
  • Available now on major platforms including CZN’s official social platforms, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Spotify, Melon, and Bugs

SEOUL, South Korea, July 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On Friday the 18th, Smilegate announced the release of a new OST titled “OVER//RIDE (OVER//RIDE)” for its upcoming RPG “Chaos Zero Nightmare” (henceforth CZN), developed by Super Creative. The OST has garnered particular attention for its collaboration with the globally renowned virtual idol group hololive English.

Smilegate Unveils Chaos Zero Nightmare OST OVERRIDE, Performed by hololive English
Smilegate Unveils Chaos Zero Nightmare OST OVERRIDE, Performed by hololive English

hololive English is a globally popular virtual idol group with over 90 million subscribers on YouTube. The new OST features two of its standout talents, “Mori Calliope” and “Nerissa Ravencroft.” Both artists are known for their dynamic vocal performances rooted in rock, with the versatility to perform across a wide range of genres. Mori Calliope has amassed over 2.55 million subscribers on YouTube, while Nerissa Ravencroft boasts approximately 890 thousand. Notably, Mori Calliope’s solo concert in Los Angeles this past February was completely sold out.

The CZN OST “OVER//RIDE,” performed by Mori Calliope and Nerissa Ravencroft, is a fast-paced track that showcases elements of rock and metal. Its lyrics, inspired by CZN’s lore, convey a message of holding onto hope even in the face of despair.

“OVER//RIDE” is now available on CZN’s official social media channels, as well as on major global platforms such as Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Spotify, and on leading Korean services including Melon and Bugs. A music video featuring the artists has also been released on YouTube. Smilegate plans to release an additional music video in the future, created using animation from CZN.

Kim Joo Hyung, Head of Business at Smilegate, expressed his excitement about the collaboration, stating, “We’re truly delighted to have worked with such incredible virtual artists. We hope everyone enjoys the OST, which captures the lore and atmosphere of CZN through music.”

For more information on Chaos Zero Nightmare, visit the official channels on X and YouTube, as well as STOVE’s official site (https://chaoszeronightmare.onstove.com/ko).

XCMG Machinery Achieves Dual ISO 37301 and GB/T 35770 Compliance Certifications, Reinforcing Global Governance Leadership

XUZHOU, China, July 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — XCMG Machinery (SHE:000425), a global leader in heavy machinery manufacturing, and its subsidiary XCMG Import & Export Co., Ltd., have been awarded the ISO 37301:2021 Compliance Management System Certification by the International Certification Network (IQNET), alongside China’s national GB/T 35770-2022 Compliance Management System Certification by the China Quality Certification Centre (CQC). The certifications, effective June 19, 2025, validate XCMG’s world-class compliance framework across the trade and after-sales service of construction machinery and its spare parts.

XCMG Machinery Achieves Dual ISO 37301 and GB/T 35770 Compliance Certifications, Reinforcing Global Governance Leadership
XCMG Machinery Achieves Dual ISO 37301 and GB/T 35770 Compliance Certifications, Reinforcing Global Governance Leadership

The ISO 37301:2021, issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and its Chinese equivalent, GB/T 35770-2022, provide systematic methodologies for organizational compliance. These standards adopt the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, enabling end-to-end management of compliance systems. XCMG’s dual certification demonstrates its commitment to meeting both international trade requirements and China’s regulatory benchmarks, positioning the company as a benchmark for cross-border governance excellence.

Since 2023, XCMG has pioneered a compliance architecture anchored in core principles on comprehensive coverage, clear accountability, and pragmatic efficiency among the group.

The Company integrates integrity, fair competition, and contractual fidelity throughout its value chain, driven by its dual principles: ‘Compliance as Obligation’ and ‘Compliance as Business Enabler.’ The certifications validate XCMG’s success in building a culture where compliance powers sustainable growth.

In complex international markets, XCMG’s certified compliance system mitigates operational risks through proactive governance while streamlining the cross-border trade via standardized frameworks. The certificates will build stakeholder trust with third-party-verified controls. As noted in the ISO 37301 guidelines, such certifications serve as “a testament to wisdom, distilled experience, and elevated principles,” facilitating smoother partnerships worldwide.

These certifications are not endpoints but accelerators. The company will deepen compliance as a long-term engineering system, integrating it into every business link to power XCMG’s high-quality development. The company will continue optimizing its compliance ecosystem to navigate evolving global regulations while advancing industry best practices.

About XCMG Machinery
XCMG Machinery (SHE:000425) is a multinational heavy machinery manufacturer headquartered in Xuzhou, China. With a product portfolio serving 190+ countries, XCMG ranks among the world’s top three construction machinery brands. The company drives innovation through intelligent manufacturing and sustainable solutions.

XCMG Machinery Achieves Dual ISO 37301 and GB/T 35770 Compliance Certifications, Reinforcing Global Governance Leadership

XUZHOU, China, July 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — XCMG Machinery (SHE:000425), a global leader in heavy machinery manufacturing, and its subsidiary XCMG Import & Export Co., Ltd., have been awarded the ISO 37301:2021 Compliance Management System Certification by the International Certification Network (IQNET), alongside China’s national GB/T 35770-2022 Compliance Management System Certification by the China Quality Certification Centre (CQC). The certifications, effective June 19, 2025, validate XCMG’s world-class compliance framework across the trade and after-sales service of construction machinery and its spare parts.

XCMG Machinery Achieves Dual ISO 37301 and GB/T 35770 Compliance Certifications, Reinforcing Global Governance Leadership
XCMG Machinery Achieves Dual ISO 37301 and GB/T 35770 Compliance Certifications, Reinforcing Global Governance Leadership

The ISO 37301:2021, issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and its Chinese equivalent, GB/T 35770-2022, provide systematic methodologies for organizational compliance. These standards adopt the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, enabling end-to-end management of compliance systems. XCMG’s dual certification demonstrates its commitment to meeting both international trade requirements and China’s regulatory benchmarks, positioning the company as a benchmark for cross-border governance excellence.

Since 2023, XCMG has pioneered a compliance architecture anchored in core principles on comprehensive coverage, clear accountability, and pragmatic efficiency among the group.

The Company integrates integrity, fair competition, and contractual fidelity throughout its value chain, driven by its dual principles: ‘Compliance as Obligation’ and ‘Compliance as Business Enabler.’ The certifications validate XCMG’s success in building a culture where compliance powers sustainable growth.

In complex international markets, XCMG’s certified compliance system mitigates operational risks through proactive governance while streamlining the cross-border trade via standardized frameworks. The certificates will build stakeholder trust with third-party-verified controls. As noted in the ISO 37301 guidelines, such certifications serve as “a testament to wisdom, distilled experience, and elevated principles,” facilitating smoother partnerships worldwide.

These certifications are not endpoints but accelerators. The company will deepen compliance as a long-term engineering system, integrating it into every business link to power XCMG’s high-quality development. The company will continue optimizing its compliance ecosystem to navigate evolving global regulations while advancing industry best practices.

About XCMG Machinery
XCMG Machinery (SHE:000425) is a multinational heavy machinery manufacturer headquartered in Xuzhou, China. With a product portfolio serving 190+ countries, XCMG ranks among the world’s top three construction machinery brands. The company drives innovation through intelligent manufacturing and sustainable solutions.

AI-Powered Insurance and Healthcare: Waterdrop Inc. Included in Harvard Business School Case Collection

BEIJING, July 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The business innovation case of Waterdrop Inc. (NYSE:WDH), Waterdrop: AI-Powered Insurance and Healthcare, was recently included in Harvard Business School (HBS)’s Case Collection, receiving recognition from this world-renowned academic institution. Developed by Professor Li Qi from the School of Management and Economics at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), the case examines how Waterdrop has applied advanced AI technologies to drive systematic innovation and strategic transformation amid profound changes in the insurance and healthcare sectors. By fostering a diversified health protection ecosystem and enhancing operational efficiency, Waterdrop has achieved a balance between social and commercial value, offering a replicable “China solution” for global insurtech development.

As a gold standard in international teaching cases, the HBS Case Collection curates the world’s most exemplary business practices across industries, covering key areas such as strategic management, organizational behavior, and digital transformation. Serving as an essential reference for global business education and corporate research, the Case Collection maintains rigorous selection criteria.

Waterdrop founder and CEO Shen Peng said, “The recognition validates our unwavering commitment to applying technology for public good. Since its inception, Waterdrop continues to assist families in medical distress through Waterdrop Medical Crowdfunding and raise awareness about enhanced protection with health insurance through Waterdrop Insurance Marketplace. Today, we are reshaping the insurance and healthcare service ecosystem with AI. Over the past nine years, we have been committed to bringing insurance and healthcare service to billions through technology.”

“All in AI” Strategy Delivers Tangible Results, with AI Empowering Full Business Lines

The HBS case highlights Waterdrop as a leading insurtech and healthcare platform in China, dedicated to providing health protection solutions. Its ecosystem—spanning Waterdrop Medical Crowdfunding, Waterdrop Insurance Marketplace, E-Find Patient Recruitment, Waterdrop Financial, and Lugo Visa—integrates insurance coverage and health services under a diverse and innovation-driven approach. With an annual R&D investment of nearly 300 million yuan (approx. US$42 million), Waterdrop has built a comprehensive AI application framework for insurance scenarios, backed by over 100 technology patents.

On Waterdrop Medical Crowdfunding, a new medical fundraising campaign is initiated online by a family in need every 53 seconds. To date, 475 million people have supported over 3.47 million patients through the AI-driven platform. This social impact earned widespread recognition, culminating in Waterdrop Medical Crowdfunding’s designation by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People’s Republic of China as one of the government recognized online personal help-seeking service platforms in mainland China.

Waterdrop Insurance Marketplace drives product innovation through technology, offering over 1,000 inclusive and affordable insurance products tailored for pre-existing conditions, seniors, and expectant mothers. It has provided comprehensive insurance planning services to 38,000 families, with customer satisfaction exceeding 95%.

Through the use of AI, E-Find Patient Recruitment has achieved significant operational efficiency improvements, with a over 30% increase in the numbers of strategically aligned projects and partnerships established with 80% of the world’s top 10 pharmaceutical companies. The platform has boosted patient enrollment efficiency by 45%, demonstrating Waterdrop’s technological contributions to the healthcare sector. With a competitive insurance product and service system in Hong Kong, Waterdrop Financial is expanding rapidly through its robust sales network.

AI as a Growth Engine: Driving Efficiency and Creating Value

By applying advanced AI models, Waterdrop’s net profit attributable to shareholders surged nearly 120% in 2024. In 2025, the company will double down on its “All in AI” strategy, integrating AI across all business lines to unlock new growth. Its proprietary LLM, Waterdrop Guardian AI Insurance Expert, now supports end-to-end processes, including sales assistance, customer service, underwriting, and quality control.

The Waterdrop Guardian AI Insurance Expert delivers significant efficiency gains in sales support and process optimization. The AI Agent, equipped with multimodal interaction capabilities, including voice and text, can autonomously handle consultations for insurance products like casualty and medical insurance. The AI, which engages users for up to 50 minutes per session with an average response time of just 2 seconds, outperforms entry-level human agents in service efficiency.

In terms of customer service, Waterdrop launched Baoxiaohui, an AI-powered virtual assistant covering policy inquiries, policy management, and product Q&A, among other key service scenarios. Equipped with cutting-edge LLM capabilities, it accurately detects user emotions, delivers 24/7 real-time responses, and is poised to reduce case escalation rates by 50% annually while improving service efficiency by 50%.

Additionally, Waterdrop’s AI-driven quality inspection solution ensures 100% coverage across all communication channels, including voice and enterprise WeChat chat records, while slashing manual review costs by over 50%.

The inclusion in the HBS Case Collection underscores the research value of Waterdrop’s pioneering “AI-powered Insurance and Healthcare” business model. Mr. Shen remarked, “The essence of technological innovation lies in leveraging technology-driven efficiency gains and growth momentum to transform socially conscious solutions into actionable, replicable, and sustainable systems that ultimately help deliver meaningful value to users.”

For more information about Waterdrop Inc., please visit https://www.waterdrop-inc.com/.

 

F88 earns Gold Level Certification for Client Protection


HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 July 2025 – F88, a pioneer in Việt Nam’s alternative finance sector, has once again affirmed its leadership position by being awarded the Gold Level Certification for Client Protection by M-CRIL.

An F88 shop. F88 has embedded customer care into every step of its operations. — Photo courtesy of the firm
An F88 shop. F88 has embedded customer care into every step of its operations. — Photo courtesy of the firm

This marks the third time F88 has received this prestigious honour since 2019, and the second consecutive year it has achieved the highest possible rating. The achievement highlights F88’s deep and ongoing commitment to building a transparent, sustainable financial ecosystem that puts customers first.

Issued by M-CRIL and developed in collaboration with globally recognised organisations Cerise+SPTF, the Client Protection Certification (CPC) is one of the most comprehensive and demanding assessments in the financial services sector. It evaluates how well institutions uphold international standards in client protection, requiring excellence in areas ranging from product design and customer communication to data security and corporate governance.

F88’s Compliance with M-CRIL Principles

To achieve Gold Certification, financial institutions must comply with eight standards, 26 essential practices and over 128 indicators, meeting a minimum compliance rate of 95 per cent and avoiding any disqualifying breaches. F88 surpassed these benchmarks with an impressive 98.3 per cent compliance score, demonstrating the strength of its internal systems and customer-first strategy.

This success is not accidental. It stems from a clearly defined and responsibly executed development strategy focused on customer needs and protection. By creating tailored financial solutions to ensure better access to capital and standardising all product information with transparent, easy-to-understand language, F88 has embedded customer care into every step of its operations. The company also commits to a responsible pricing policy, ensuring interest rates and fees are fairly determined and reflective of the services provided.

Data protection remains a top priority at F88. Customer data is collected only with explicit consent, securely stored and managed under strict internal controls. This information is then used to fairly assess creditworthiness, helping minimise financial risk for both parties while avoiding over-indebtedness for the customer.

Throughout its operations, F88 consistently upholds fairness and integrity. Customers from all backgrounds, including vulnerable groups, receive equal access to financial services. The company adheres to a core principle of ‘do no harm’, ensuring that all decisions — from product offerings to debt restructuring — are made with the customer’s best interest in mind.

F88 has also developed a robust, multi-channel feedback and complaint resolution mechanism that allows customers to express concerns easily and expect swift resolution. The company currently resolves over 99 per cent of complaints within 30 days, a figure that reflects not only operational efficiency, but also a strong culture of listening and learning.

Underpinning all of this is F88’s solid governance structure. With clear internal policies, a strong credit risk management framework and ongoing ethics training for its staff, the company ensures that its team consistently delivers responsible and professional service.

Real impact: Earning customer trust and loyalty

The impact of these efforts is evident in F88’s performance. In the first half of 2025, the company reported a Net Promoter Score of 73 per cent, with over half of its customers returning for additional services — clear signs of growing trust and customer satisfaction.

Commenting on the milestone, Chairman and CEO of F88 Phùng Anh Tuấn said: “A company like F88 cannot grow sustainably by abandoning its social mission in pursuit of short-term profit. Our goal is to grow along with our customers, not to trap them in debt.”

Reinforcing market position and investor confidence

This recognition comes at a pivotal time for F88. Having recently become a public company and progressing toward listing on the UpCOM exchange, the Gold Certification strengthens its position in the eyes of investors and partners. For stakeholders who value Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria, it sends a powerful message: F88 is a transparent, ethical and socially responsible business — an organisation that balances profitability with purpose and offers a sound investment opportunity.

M-CRIL is a global leader in rating financial institutions and works with investment support from the Asian Development Bank. Through its work, M-CRIL reduces risks for financial entities while encouraging micro and small businesses to adopt best practices.

Hashtag: #F88

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

2nd Television Festival of SCO Countries kicks off in Xi’an

BEIJING, July 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from en.xa.gov.cn:

The opening ceremony of the 2nd Television Festival of SCO Countries is held in Xi'an. [Photo/IC]
The opening ceremony of the 2nd Television Festival of SCO Countries is held in Xi’an. [Photo/IC]

The 2nd Television Festival of Shanghai Cooperation Organization Countries kicked off on July 16 in Xi’an, capital of Northwest China’s Shaanxi province.

It was held by the National Radio and Television Administration, the People’s Government of Shaanxi Province, and the Secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The festival focused on showcasing the cooperation achievements of SCO countries in television and radio exchanges. A total of 300 representatives from 19 SCO countries, as well as media, enterprises, international institutions, and embassies, attended the opening ceremony.

Batir Tursunov, SCO deputy secretary general, said, “I first came to Xi’an in 2019, and this is my fifth trip. Every time I visit Xi’an, it feels like my first time because the city is developing rapidly. It has a rich cultural and historical heritage, which is why I am thrilled to be here.”

Many representatives also look forward to witnessing new cooperation and exchange in the audiovisual industry in this ancient city.

In recent years, SCO countries have strengthened exchanges and cooperation in television and radio broadcasting, promoting mutual learning among themselves. The festival showcased over 40 audiovisual cooperation programs, including a documentary produced by China and Kazakhstan, and an animated film produced by China, Russia, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, and Armenia.

As China’s “city of short TV series”, Xi’an attracted many representatives from domestic and foreign participating organizations with its booths at an audiovisual content trading market during the festival. The city’s “lightweight production + precise delivery” industry model also aroused strong interest from international peers.

The market’s organizer said, “The market consists of three major sections: international audiovisual content trading exhibition, content promotion conference, and cooperation signing. We are engaged in international dialogues in Xi’an, injecting new momentum into the integrated development of the audiovisual industry in SCO countries.”

The 2025 Silk Road 10,000-Mile Journey, a large-scale cross-border multimedia event and one of the festival’s main activities, also started from Xi’an on July 16. The journey will last for more than 40 days, via countries including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, showing the achievements of cultural exchanges among SCO countries.

Trend Micro Celebrates 20th Consecutive Recognition as a Leader in Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ Endpoint Protection Platforms

Threat intelligence and security capabilities continue to outpace threats


HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 July 2025 – Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), a global cybersecurity leader, has announced that it has been recognized an unprecedented 20 consecutive times as a Leader in Endpoint Protection Platforms*. No other vendor has been named a Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader for so long in this category—which Trend believes illustrates the enduring strength of its strategic vision, customer focus, and commitment to innovation.

To learn more about Trend’s 20th consecutive placement as a Leader, visit: https://www.trendmicro.com/explore/gartner-mq-epp

Eva Chen, CEO at Trend: “Trend is proud to be recognized as a Leader for the 20th consecutive time. We believe our decades of expertise and intelligence are the key to leading the next era of security with our unmatched AI and proactive security capabilities.”

Trend achieved its milestone this year with Trend Vision One™ Endpoint Security, which is built on the foundations of product excellence laid over the past two decades.

Trend has ranked amongst the three highest scoring vendors across all Use Cases in the Gartner companion 2025 Critical Capabilities for Endpoint Protection Platforms report.

Mark Houpt, CISO at Databank: “Security used to be about locking the doors. Now it’s about navigating the unknown. Trend helps us do that—not just with powerful endpoint protection, but through a platform where everything works together by design. That integration is how we find threats faster, respond smarter, with fewer blind spots and more confidence.”

Five core tenets drive Trend’s expertise:

Commitment to innovation: Trend believes that the only way to remain an EPP Leader for 20 consecutive reports is to continuously anticipate what’s coming next. Trend has introduced deepfake detection, adaptive behavioral protection and more to ensure that customers can stay proactive. Together, these efforts help them to minimize response times and optimize cyber resilience.

Unified approach: Endpoint protection should not exist in a vacuum. Trend’s approach delivers these capabilities in a single, centralized platform, alongside CREM, attack path prediction, compliance, generative AI protection, XDR and more. This eliminates security gaps, reduces cost and complexity, and empowers security teams to see more, respond faster, and work more productively.

Consistent performance: Trend’s industry expertise is built on outstanding products, designed for some of the world’s most demanding and highly regulated environments. Trend Micro ranked highest in Core Endpoint Protection, Workspace Security Platform, and Architecturally Constrained Environments Use Cases in the 2025 Critical Capabilities for Endpoint Protection Platforms.

Global reach: No two customers, or regions, are the same. Different organizations may have different regulatory, threat landscape, and operational challenges. With Trend, they benefit from the scale, innovation and threat intelligence of a global leader, but with the localized expertise of a partner with a presence in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.

Customers want technology partners they can trust. Trend has been helping global organizations to navigate their unique business and cybersecurity challenges for over 30 years.

*Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms, Evgeny Mirolyubov, Deepak Mishra, Franz Hinner, 14 July 2025

# # #

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally, Magic Quadrant is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Hashtag: #trendmicro #trendvisionone #visionone #cybersecurity #Gartner #GartnerEPP #EPP




The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Trend Micro

Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity leader, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Fueled by decades of security expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend Micro’s cybersecurity platform protects hundreds of thousands of organizations and millions of individuals across clouds, networks, devices, and endpoints. As a leader in cloud and enterprise cybersecurity, the platform delivers a powerful range of advanced threat defense techniques optimized for environments like AWS, Microsoft, and Google, and central visibility for better, faster detection and response. With 7,000 employees across 65 countries, Trend Micro enables organizations to simplify and secure their connected world.

Misbehaving Monks: Sex Scandal Shakes Thai Buddhist Faithful

Thai Buddhist monks pray at Wat Pak Nam temple in Bangkok on July 18, 2025. (Photo by Chanakarn Laosarakham / AFP)
Thai police this week arrested a woman accused of bedding at least 11 monks in violation of their vows of celibacy, before blackmailing them with thousands of secretly taken photos of their trysts.The monks are said to have paid nearly USD 12 million, funneled out of their monasteries funded by donations from laypeople hoping to increase their merit and prospects for reincarnation.The scandal provoked outrage over hypocrisy in the monkhood, concern their status shields them from scrutiny, and soul-searching across society about the role of religion.

“I’m not involved in the religion like I used to be,” 33-year-old motorbike taxi driver Mongkol Sudathip told AFP. “I don’t have full respect for it anymore.”

King Maha Vajiralongkorn has cancelled invitations to more than 80 monks who had been due to attend his upcoming 73rd birthday celebrations, citing “inappropriate behavior that caused mental distress among the Thai people”.

While the 11 monks have been stripped of their robes, the kingdom’s National Office of Buddhism has vowed to “restore public trust” with a sweeping police probe into the grubby affair.

Splurging Attitude

Theravada Buddhism has been the spiritual backbone of Thai identity for more than two millennia, and still shapes national laws banning alcohol on religious holidays and protecting sacred objects.

Thai men are traditionally expected to ordain as monks at least once in their lives for a period lasting as short as a few weeks or as long as decades.

The clergy are bound by 227 strict rules, including a ban on masturbation, touching women and even handling objects directly from them.

Monks traditionally survive on alms, food offerings and a modest USD 170 monthly stipend, but some pocket fees for lectures, blessings and ceremonies, blurring the line between faith and fortune.

In a TV interview, the woman at the heart of the scandal said she had developed a “splurging attitude” as her monk lovers lavished her with shopping trips worth up to USD 90,000 a day.

Motorcycle taxi driver Mongkol said he now prefers to donate to hospitals or schools for underprivileged children.

“It feels more meaningful than giving money to temples,” he told AFP.

This month’s scandal is not the first to rock the monkhood.

In 2017, police raided Wat Dhammakaya temple north of Bangkok, arresting its former abbot over allegations of laundering USD 33 million in public donations.

This May, police held another monk in the capital over allegations of embezzling nearly USD 10 million from a temple for an online gambling network.

Buddhism scholar Danai Preechapermprasit said repeated scandals, especially among senior monks, have “shaken people to the core”.

“People question whether donations are used for spiritual significance or personal desire,” he told AFP.

“I think Thailand has reached a point where it’s difficult for monks to even walk down the street.”

A powerful lawmaker has pledged tighter regulations within three months, including mandatory donation disclosures and laws treating monk misconduct as a criminal offence.

“This case does not represent Buddhism as a whole,” said national police chief Kitrat Panphet on 17 July, pledging a new task force to probe misbehaving monks.

“It’s about a few individuals doing wrong,” he said.

Never Lose Faith

In Buddhist tradition monks are viewed as the Buddha’s spiritual heirs, entrusted with preserving and passing on his teachings.

But at Wat Bowonniwet in Bangkok, one of Thailand’s most revered temples, only 26 monks were ordained this year, a steep drop from nearly 100 before the Covid-19 pandemic.

A monk there, speaking to AFP anonymously, blamed societal changes after the pandemic, which forced people into isolation, saying nowadays “people prefer to live outside the temple life”.

But independent Buddhism expert Jaturong Jongarsa said temples are increasingly being treated as “a garbage dump”, where families send drug addicts or LGBTQ youth to be “corrected”.

“Temples are no longer seen as the sacred spaces they once were,” he told AFP. “People send their problems to the temple and hope they’ll go away.”

Still, not all Thais have lost faith.

Camphun Parimiphut, a 52-year-old security guard from Maha Sarakham in Thailand’s northeast, said: “Buddhism is about the teachings, not the individuals who fail it”.

Because of corruption scandals he now avoids giving money to monks, preferring to donate only food. But his devotion remains steadfast.

“You can lose faith in monks,” he said. “But never lose trust in Buddhist teachings. They still teach us how to live a good life.”


© Agence France-Presse