Police have arrested a self-styled spiritual healer in the northern province of Lamphun for allegedly raping teenage boys who sought his “sin-removing” services.
The 67-year-old suspect, identified only as Paisarn, has been remanded in police custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, when police will seek his detention.
The man was arrested on Tuesday at a house in tambon Pak Bong of Pa Sang district after police investigated complaints from two young men, said Pol Lt Gen Nathasak Chaonasai, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB).
One of the young men told police that he suffered from chronic headaches and had learned online about Mr Paisarn, who claimed to be able to cure illness through a “karma-cleansing” ritual.
When the young man visited Mr Paisarn on May 2 he was told to take part in a private rite claimed to be a part of the process. On that occasion, he said, the elderly man raped him.
The suspect claimed the act was part of a Brahmin-Hindu karmic cleansing ceremony, the complainant said.
The other complainant told police that in February last year Mr Paisarn promised to treat the chronic backache of his mother, but he also claimed to see the young man was burdened by many sins.
Mr Paisarn told the young man’s parents to wait at a nearby restaurant while the young man entered his room for treatment.
Investigators said the suspect told the teenager he was burdened with severe karma and required a one-on-one ritual to remove it before molesting him. Police added the suspect also made sexually explicit remarks involving humans and dogs during the encounter.
During the arrest and subsequent searches, police found student yearbooks containing names and addresses in the suspect’s possession.
The suspect shared information from the yearbooks with his victims, claiming they were the names and addresses of the people whom his victims had offended in a past life, said Pol Maj Gen Patanasak Buphasuwan, commander of the Crime Suppression Division.
Victims had faith in the suspect when they discovered real people at the addresses the suspect gave them, police said.
Investigators said the suspect has for decades been a popular faith healer admired by people ranging from the working class to the elite, with many seeking his spiritual guidance and help to heal.
But he gained widespread attention across the country after being visited in 2023 by a popular actor suffering from an autoimmune disease. The actor died the following year.
Police charged Mr Paisarn with raping and removing from parental care young people aged between 15 and 18. The offences carry a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of up to 400,000 baht.
Authorities said additional victims have since come forward with information, with several reporting similar patterns of abuse, Pol Lt Gen Nathasak said.
