CHIANG RAI – Police are warning residents to be on the lookout for a fake monk who pretends to be disabled and has resurfaced in Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai, after being defrocked in 2024.
Locals spotted him collecting donations at Sin Sombun Market around 7:00 a.m. on July 9, 2025. Vendors and shoppers noticed a middle-aged monk who appeared disabled, using two walking sticks, wearing a mask and sunglasses, with his left eye covered as if damaged.
His right foot was wrapped in cloth, resembling a splint, and he carried two safron bags. Inside one bag, a speaker played loud chanting as he walked around the market, moving as if he were physically impaired.
Many people didn’t realise this was the same impersonator who caused headlines last year, but a lottery vendor named Uthai recognised him. Uthai filmed the fake monk and shared the footage to warn others. By then, many locals had already given him money, believing his disguise.
As the video spread, more people realised he was the same impersonator who had been exposed before. When the man realised he had been recognised, he quickly left the market.
Uthai told reporters he had never seen a monk with such a disability in the area before. Normally, only local monks or those on pilgrimage visit to collect alms.
Wannakorn Chantawong, a fruit vendor near Uthai’s stall, said she noticed the imposter and also thought he looked disabled. She mentioned that people in the market began warning each other, and once the impersonator caught on, he left quickly.
While leaving, he walked with a normal posture and drove away, proving he was not truly disabled. Ms Wannakorn added that if a monk at a temple was really in such a condition, the temple would not allow him to collect alms in public, as it looked difficult and uncomfortable.
Impersonation is often linked to scams where individuals dress in saffron robes to solicit donations or deceive devotees. Such acts are particularly damaging in Thailand, where clergy are highly respected and expected to adhere to strict ethical codes, including abstaining from handling money.
