She was married and had two children, but divorced her husband in order to maintain a vow of celibacy.
She was ordained by a Sri Lankan Bhikkhuni, and in the presence of a male Thai monk, as in accordance with Thai interpretation of Theravada scripture.
Vanavichayen was ordained in Songdhammakalyani Monastery, headed by Dhammananda Bhikkhuni (born Chatsumarn Kabilsingh), a female monk who created controversy when she was ordained as a monk in Sri Lanka and returned to Thailand.
"[3] The Thai government's Deputy Chief of the Religious Affairs Department said that Vanavichayen would not be recognized as a monk.
[1] This created a problem, as the Thai constitution prohibits gender discrimination, but anyone that dresses as a monk that is not a monk faces a two-month jail sentence.