Thief Posing as Monk Steals 300,000 Baht from Ubon Ratchathani Temple

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Pictures courtesy of MGR Online

 

In a brazen act of deception, a thief dressed as a monk made off with 300,000 baht from the abbot’s quarters at Wat Thaisikha Patiphataram in Ubon Ratchathani’s Na Yia district. This incident, the second such theft at the temple, has prompted a local police investigation.

 

The theft occurred on April 5 and was captured on CCTV, with the footage subsequently shared by the Warin Chamrap Ban Hao Facebook page. The video shows the suspect, dressed in monk attire, leaving with a cloth bag containing the stolen cash.

 

Phra Maha Nukan, the temple's abbot, reported the crime to Police Captain Surachart Yodkham after discovering the theft at 11 am. The funds, intended for constructing a new kitchen, were taken by an individual who accessed the quarters using keys concealed at the door.

 

Upon reviewing CCTV footage on April 16, the abbot identified suspicious details about the thief’s attire. The man wore a saffron robe without the customary undershirt and had a noticeable fair shoulder – inconsistent with a genuine monk, who would typically have tanned skin from regular sun exposure.

 

 

 

This incident echoed a previous theft on December 5 last year, when money intended for straw purchases was stolen under similar circumstances, although no suspect was identified at the time. Determined to prevent further incidents, the temple had since installed CCTV, which successfully captured the recent crime.

 

Local police are actively comparing the footage with criminal records and seeking assistance from village headmen to identify the impostor. Given the timing of the theft during peak foot traffic, authorities believe the suspect is familiar with the temple’s operations.

 

The widely-shared footage aims to aid the investigation by ensuring broad community awareness, as police continue their search for the suspect believed to know the temple's routines and vulnerabilities, reported The Thaiger.

 

-- 2025-04-18