The Phuket Volunteer Defense Corps (VDC) was informed at yesterday morning (Jan 20) that a man who was dressed as a monk was walking around the Phuket Fresh Market collecting money from people.
Mr Jiradet Burarak, deputy of Phuket Volunteer Defense Corps (VDC) together with officers from Phuket Provincial Office of Buddhism and the Phuket police went to the market to apprehend the man after a tip off from Phra Kru Metta Pirom, Abbot of Wat Mongkol Nimit in Phuket Town.
The suspect refused to tell officers his name or show a monk's certificate and was subsequently arrested and a search of his bag revealed Buddhist amulets and several B20 banknotes (Worth approximately B1000).
Officers confirmed that the man, whom they did not name, was not a monk and had previously been arrested several times for the same offense. He is now facing charges of impersonating a monk.