Fake monk with porno mag and orange car arrested

Petchabun police rounded up an old con artist pretending to be a monk Tuesday.

They found pornography under his bed and an orange Peugeot parked outside his room, Thairath reports.

Chao Mahalanyo or Chao Konpetch, 67, is a serial fraudster responsible, police say, for seeking fraudulent donations from the public.

He was staying in quarters reserved for monks called Bua Ban in the Wang Pong district of Petchabun. Another suspect identified as Pradap was absent, presumed sick in a local hospital.

Police say Chao has been pretending to be a monk for years and has been convicted before. They say that along with another man he printed fake donation slips that were used to steal money from people in the area.

A whole host of officials including local area office reps and Buddhist officials joined police in exposing Chao on Tuesday at his lodgings.

Under his bed they found something that Chao claimed was a religious manual for study of Buddhist ways. On closer inspection it was nothing more than pornography. Outside was his appropriately coloured orange Peugeot 305 with Phichit plates.

He has been charged with claiming money under false pretences and other matters relating to misrepresenting his address. Police say he has been trying similar cons for the last five years.

Thai Visa / Thairath

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