Imitation Phuket monk faces fraud, encroachment charges

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Imitation Phuket monk faces fraud, encroachment charges
Eakkapop Thongtub


Officials speak to Adul Phongsuwan at his make-shift monastery

PHUKET: -- A man who has been pretending to be a monk is likely to face charges of fraud and encroachment after he was found to have tried to fraudulently obtain money from the government and also set up make-shift monastery on a beach in Koh Sirey.

At 10am yesterday (July 23), Phuket Defence Officer, Jiradech Burarak, and Director of the Phuket Buddhism Office, Wathin Klodtem, Phuket City police, forestry officials and Marine Office officials arrested Adul Phongsuwan or Phra Adul Panyatharo, 53, from Nakhon Pathom, at a hut set up on a beach on Koh Sirey.

The arrest came after officials received complaints from local people of Adulʼs inappropriate behaviour which did not reflect on him being a monk.

Adul claimed that was a monk and that he came from a temple in Nakhon Pathom. However, after making investigations it was found has never been ordained as a monk.

When officials searched his make-shift monastery, to which he claimed to be the abbot, they did discover Buddhist relics, images along with charms, a skull, tools used for tattooing, tonics and pornographic matertial including cds, dvds and magazines.

Officials also found womenʼs Thai identification cards and copies of letters to government officials including one to the PM Prayuth Chan-o-cha asking for B700M to fund the building of a Buddhist image of Phra Narai to honour HMJ the Queen on her birthday on August 12.

Mr Wathin said that many people in Koh Sirey had complained that Adul behaved inappropriately as a monk, he lured people into practicing superstition, charming and voodoo, and he also came out late every day to collect alms in front of the Kaset market.

“Officials went to the market and found five monks including Adul. When we checked the monkʼs details we found that four were in fact monks from nearby temple and had been advise by Phra Kru Meita about the time to collect alms.

“However, Adul have no documents stating he was a monk, and when we checked with the temple that he said he came from they had never heard of him,” he said.

Phuketʼs head monk, Phra Kru Meita, had ordered that Adul leave his make-shift monastery immediately.

Police took Adul to Phuket City Police where he is now being questioned about the fraud, and also encroaching on public land.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/imitation-phuket-monk-faces-fraud-encroachment-charges-53332.php

-- Phuket News 2015-07-24

[Emster23]

Well, with so many pirated goods of material objects, this is natural progression. At least not a cheap Chinese knock off. He wasn't ordained, so can't be genuine. Correct me if I am wrong, and no disrespect intended, but I wonder who ordained Lord Buddha?

[cruisemonkey]

How come nobody's pointing at the 'monk'?

[Benmart]

Many imitations in this world it seems. Another Hub perhaps?

[Lupatria]

While many of the ordained crooks run free...

[Acharn]

Well, with so many pirated goods of material objects, this is natural progression. At least not a cheap Chinese knock off. He wasn't ordained, so can't be genuine. Correct me if I am wrong, and no disrespect intended, but I wonder who ordained Lord Buddha?

Nobody ordained him because he was the first to attain enlightenment since the previous Buddha aeons previously (I'm not sure how long an aeon is, but it's a *very* long time). Anyway, the Thamma had been completely forgotten so there was no one to ordain him. In addition, he was not a monk in the usual sense, although he had been following various spiritual teachings prior to his enlightenment. Enlightenment is the goal, so he didn't need to be ordained. He was the Teacher. Curiously, for all that he was supposed to be all-knowing, the Buddha kept adjusting both the ordination process as unforeseen problems cropped up and the Vinaya, the volume of oaths the monks are supposed to follow to lead the holy life. In several thousand or million years the Thamma will have been completely forgotten again and a new Buddha will achieve enlightenment and not need to be ordained.

[Si Thea01]

The guy behind him looks as if he is getting ready to slap him or is this the new respectful and discrete way of pointing.

[Old Croc]

The guy on the left appears to be checking out the porn and needed to sit down.