In Phuket, phoney monk publicly strips, changes into normal clothes

A man in Phuket who pretended to be a monk to convince people to give him ‘alms’ money publicly stripped off his monk robe in a field to change into normal clothes. The Phuket Provincial Police chief told The Phuket News people complained and sent videos of the man publicly changing in a field across the road from the Phuket Town Post Office. The ‘monk’ left the area after changing.

“Officers have already visited the area and collected information to find details to be used as evidence for arrest and investigation”.

The man allegedly asked for ‘donations’ at the Phuket Town Fresh Market on Ong Sim Phai Road. A similar incident happened in Rayong on Thursday when seven men posed as monks to ask for money. The men had allegedly seemed like ‘unconventional’ monks because they refused food and offerings apart from money. A local monk reported the men to police, and the ‘monks’ refused to speak to the police. They tried to flee, but police caught them and found the men had fake monk ID cards, and knives.

The local monk told Thai media the men dressed as monks, but were ‘devils’. The seven men were charged with forgery and carrying weapons in public.

SOURCE: The Phuket News