Fake Buddhist Monks Uncovered





On Saturday afternoon Pattaya police were called to an area on the eastern side of Pattaya where they had received reports from locals that two men were allegedly asking for alms and money while dressed in the traditional robes of Buddhist monks.

The police quickly located the men and asked to check their identification papers. All Buddhist monks, who spend more than a month or so at a temple, must be registered and have an ID card. Although both men were able to produce the necessary documents, police noted these were out of date.

The men, both from northern Thailand and both married, let their greed get the better of them. They were discovered when a kind citizen saw them walking along the road and offered them a lift to a nearby temple. The men asked their benefactor to stop prior to reaching the temple and when he gave them 500 baht he became suspicious when they said it wasn’t enough and asked for an extra 100 baht. The man contacted the police who then found the men.

The pair confessed to police that they were no longer practicing monks, but with more than 4,000 baht and two mobile phones on their person they felt life was pretty good posing as fake monks.
The men were remanded in custody and will face court.

-Pattaya City News
Saturday 18th March 2006

Actually saw one of these types walking down Soi 8 and asking unsuspecting farang for handouts.

That bastion of knowledge all things Thai (cough); Stickman mentioned something similar on his website this week:


''I finally spotted with my own eyes another scam that directly targets farangs. On the short stretch of footpath between Sukhumvit sois 2 and 4, that is right outside the JW Marriott Hotel, I saw a fake monk. The way he was done out was quite ingenious, wearing robes that were IDENTICAL in colour to what many of the genuine monks wear, but the style was actually quite different. He had a very short haircut, but his head was not shaved as a monk's would be. He was carrying a silver alm and attempting to solicit donations from farangs - many of whom were giving! Anyone who has spent much time in Asia would quickly realise that he was not the genuine article, whereas tourists in all likelihood would not. What's the bet he is still there the next time I am in the neighbourhood?''


I suppose it makes a change from Thai's impersonating the long arm of the law.

Fake priests sent to jail for a year

Guilty of serious public deception Mr Montan Yemwachee, a doctor attached to the Sattahip navy base, was driving home in the Banglamung area when two men in orange robes flagged him down. They said they were very sorry to trouble him, but needed to get home to a temple just off the Siam Country Club road.

The Samaritan was pleased to oblige especially as the men appeared to be in Holy Orders. But once in the car, the two men started asked for a donation and even asked Mr Montan to continue driving even though they had reached their destination.

Mr Montan eventually gave them 500 baht to get rid of them, but even then they requested a few hundred baht extra. Grumbling that people these days aren’t as generous as they used to be, the two Orange men got out of the car in a wilderness area.

By now extremely suspicious, Mr Montan called the police who tracked down the charlatans after a brief search in the locality of these unhappy events. At the police station, Mr Subin Hansawat and Mr Sureeya Branamwong, both in their early thirties, confessed their misdeeds, but said they had once been priests who had decided to leave Holy Orders for richer pickings in the real world.

However, they failed to provide evidence of this claim and could not produce any verifying identification. They added that they had been performing their fund raising feats for some months on unsuspecting motorists and were living fairly comfortably. They felt it was very bad luck to have met Mr Montan as their lives looked like they were about to cave in. That part of their tale was correct as the provincial court sent them (by now dressed in civvies) to jail for 12 months.

-Pattaya Today
by Somporn Pung suk
4 April 2006

Unfrocked by greed....fancy asking for more...obviously been watching too much western tv.

They`ll probably turn up outside the Royal Garden Plaza next sat down in robes playing a guitar with the dog and the begging bowl

....Imagine it.....a blind version of Demi Roussos (aka "The Singing Frock").

Hello, I need photos or videos of the Fake Monks so I can finish a press release. Although you will not be paid, I will give credit by name, links or as you wish.

This post has been edited by soundman: 2008-11-09 13:42:04

Buddhist monks are not supposed to have money or any worldly possessions (or smoke cigarettes). A monk asking for money is a big red flag to most Thais for this reason.

I guess the monks in Tukcom buying phones have special dispensation from heir abbot.

In the more strict temples the monks will take a member of the laity on shopping and travel to ensure they have no need to handle money. I have discovered that a cheque is not considered money (until banked), I was able to hand the abbot a cheque donation, but cash had to put in the donations safe.

Picture of fake monk as requested.



From: www.charliemilsomphotography.com/buddhism.html

(... )

He looks more real that a genuine monk!

I was about to say the same thing, however, I am sure someone will point out how to spot the difference.

Definitely NOT a real monk.

(If you really can't stand the tension... drag your mouse over the quoted area below this line (i.e. select it))





This post has been edited by phaethon: 2008-11-09 22:22:33

Very good Phaethon.

EDIT: What happened? You edited the hidden answer. Or did it melt in the heat?

This post has been edited by 5tash: 2008-11-09 22:26:00

Huh? It's till there and in your quoted version.

Perhaps he was being sarcastic...Ironic isn't it?

Monk's don't beg money. period.

In days past they were to not even touch it.