Holy scam! Monk and mate nabbed for fake charity con in Rayong

Police apprehended a monk and his accomplice for fraudulently collecting donations under the guise of a religious charity in Rayong, Thailand. The offenders placed donation bins at various shops, falsely claiming to represent a defunct temple.

Today, October 23, law enforcement officials responded to reports of fraudulent activity involving donation bins placed in multiple shops along the roads in Rai-Tamnanpa, Rayong. The investigation revealed that the suspects were misusing the name of an abandoned temple to solicit funds.

Nopadol Butrong, a shop owner, recounted the incident. He noted a suspicious vehicle, an Isuzu pickup truck with Kamphaeng Phet registration, parked in front of his shop. A monk, accompanied by a male driver, exited the vehicle and requested permission to place a donation bin for the Suan Pa Samun Phrai Monastery in Saraburi.

Nopadol recognised the monk from previous visits and noted inconsistencies in the monk’s story. The bin bore the name Phra Athikan Mongkol and a contact number, which turned out to be unreachable. This raised further suspicion, prompting Nopadol to contact local police.

Upon receiving the report, officers from the Pe Police Station contacted the headman of the area where the purported monastery was located. It was confirmed that the Suan Pa Samun Phrai Monastery had been abandoned for quite some time, making it impossible for it to be conducting any donation drives.

Further investigation led to the identification of the monk as 40 year old Supachai, and the driver as 38 year old Suwanwit. Both individuals were questioned and eventually confessed to using the abandoned temple’s name to collect money for personal use.

The police seized 55 donation bins, a box of wooden money sticks, 3,550 baht (US$105) in cash, a ledger documenting the shops where the bins had been placed, and the vehicle used in the operation. Supachai was defrocked at the Petarasukarom Monastery before both suspects were taken into custody.

Investigations at various shops in the village revealed that donation bins had been placed in dozens of locations. All bins were confiscated as evidence. The suspects admitted to the charges of defrauding the public and were formally charged, reported KhaoSod.

Police urged shop owners who had received similar donation bins to submit them to the Pe Police Station for evidence in the ongoing case. The police also advised the public to report any suspicious solicitation activities to prevent falling victim to such fraudulent schemes.