NAKHON PATHOM, THAILAND – A man who posed as a Buddhist abbot to steal monks’ savings accounts was arrested after more than a decade on the run.
Elaborate disguise to pass as an abbot
The case began with a tip from a bank to police, revealing a scheme planned by a gang that allegedly recruited Manop, a 54-year-old in financial difficulty. His task was to shave his head and eyebrows, don an orange monk’s robe, and impersonate abbots from well-known temples in Nakhon Pathom and Suphan Buri. He posed for photos in this disguise, which were then used to create forged monk identification cards that looked highly authentic.
How the million-baht fraud worked
Armed with the fake documents, Manop entered bank branches and claimed to be the real abbot who had lost his savings book. Trusting bank staff opened new accounts for him, unaware of the deception. The gang then requested the transfer of the entire balance from the genuine abbot’s account to the new account controlled by Manop, who immediately withdrew the funds, causing losses of more than 1.8 million baht (about 45,000 euros).
Years in hiding after a cheap payoff
Upon his arrest, Manop reportedly confessed, saying his water filter business had failed and that he had agreed to the plan in a moment of weakness after being persuaded by two accomplices. For only 20,000 baht (about 500 euros), he played the role of the devout abbot before fleeing. He lived in hiding for years, surviving on odd jobs, until an arrest warrant issued in 2019 finally caught up with him.
Serious charges and national investigators
The detained man now faced court proceedings on a long list of serious offences. Charges included fraud, forgery of documents, theft and the unauthorized use of an electronic card to input false data into computer systems. The case was handed over to investigators from the Crime Suppression Division, who were expected to determine further legal steps.
Blow to trust in religion and banks
The scandal shook public confidence in religious institutions and banks alike, as criminals were seen exploiting respect for the monkhood.
“It is a particularly reprehensible form of fraud that abuses the feelings of the faithful.”
said a police spokesman. Authorities signalled they were determined to pursue such offences relentlessly, no matter how long suspects remained on the run.
Another recent monk impostor case
This was not an isolated incident, as a separate arrest in Ang Thong province a week earlier involved another man posing as a monk. That suspect had begged for donations while allegedly under the influence of drugs and was unable to recite even simple prayers, heightening public concern. Police warned the public and bank employees to check identification documents carefully to avoid enabling such scams and further erosion of trust.