Fake Nun flees to safety of jail

After cheating local women out of 5 million baht, disappeared from village last Friday. Chooses safety of jail out of fear she will be killed.

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CRIME

Fake nun 'swindled villagers'

23 Apr 2013
Online Reporters

CHUMPHON - A woman who allegedly disguised herself as a Buddhist nun to swindle five million baht from villagers turned herself in to police on Monday.

Police said Narumon Eiamsaard, 53, had seven outstanding arrest warrants for fraud issued by courts in Krabi and other nearby provinces.

The woman allegedly told the police, "I heard a broadcast that a group of victims in Krabi was tracking me down, wanting revenge, and might kill me when they find me. I was afraid for my own safety so I decided to turn myself in."

Ms Narumon said she will not seek bail and has requested to stay inside the prison. She added that she will fight her case in court and accept punishment if found guilty. 

Victims from tambon Khan-Ngern, Langsuan district, told police on April 19 that a Buddhist nun named "Pornpimol Saipetch", along with two or three "disciples", rented a house several months ago

The group later transformed the home into a house of worship, where they conducted various rituals for the townspeople, they said.

One of their rituals required villagers to put 5,000-10,000 baht into a tray to purge them from sin. The individuals then needed to leave the money on the tray until the nun deemed them pure.

They added that the group also started a bank system, accepting money deposits, providing loans, and giving interest.

Around the beginning of April, people who participated in the purging ritual began complaining that it took too long to get their money out of the project. Depositors also were not receiving promised interest on their "deposits", said the victims.

The nun and disciples all disappeared from the village last Friday morning.

According to the villagers, 30 townspeople in tambon Khan-Ngern were cheated out of some five million baht.

Ms Narumon told police that villagers did ask her to perform various rituals in exchange for money.

As for the bank system, she explained that she only obtained a small amount of money from the villagers and gave out loans to only vendors and villagers around the Langsuan Market. All money gathered had been returned, she said.

The woman added that she now has no money because of personal expenses and donations she made to temples.

All victims were women, police said. Many refused to file complaints because they are wives of high-profile individuals, they said.

The woman was taken into custody for further investigation and will later be transferred to Krabi police for legal proceedings

(Source: Bangkok Post, CRIME, Fake nun 'swindled villagers', 23 Apr 2013, Online Reporters, link)


Fraud Vocabulary

nun - a woman who belongs to a religious community and who lives in a temple, convent, etc. แม่ชี

fake - looks like the real thing but not the real thing, meant to cheat and deceive ที่ทำปลอม ปลอมแปลง
fake nun

swindle - to obtain money dishonestly from someone by deceiving or cheating them โกง, หลอกลวง, ฉ้อโกง
swindle villagers

Fake nun 'swindled villagers'

disguised as - identity is hidden, don't know who or what it really is ปลอมตัวเป็น, อำพราง
disguised herself as a Buddhist nun

allegedly - claimed to be true, but not yet proven ที่ถูกกล่าวหา
allegedly disguised herself as a Buddhist nun to swindle five million baht from villagers

turned herself in to police

A woman who allegedly disguised herself as a Buddhist nun to swindle five million baht from villagers turned herself in to police on Monday.

arrest - when the police take someone and put them in jail, as a suspect in a crime จับ
arrest warrant - an order to arrest someone หมายจับ

fraud - the crime of gaining money by tricking or lieing การหลอกลวง  การโกง การตุ้มตุ๋น การปลอมแปลง การฉ้อโก (See Wikipedia)  
arrest warrants for fraud

issued - ออกใหม่
arrest warrants issued by courts in Krabi

outstanding - still exists, currently exists, not finished yet, not ended yet
outstanding arrest warrants

Police said Narumon Eiamsaard, 53, had seven outstanding arrest warrants for fraud issued by courts in Krabi and other nearby provinces.

broadcast - to send out a programme on television or radio กระจายเสียง,กระจายข่าว
victims - people who are killed injured or harmed in some way from an accident, natural disaster, crime, etc.

track down - search and look for someone, find someone
revenge - hurting someone who has hurt in return, as payback

The woman allegedly told the police, "I heard a broadcast that a group of victims in Krabi was tracking me down, wanting revenge, and might kill me when they find me. I was afraid for my own safety so I decided to turn myself in."

bail - money that is given to a court when someone is allowed to stay out of prison until their trial. If they do not return for the trial, the court keeps the money เงินประกัน; การประกันตัว (See Wikipedia)

punishment - making someone suffer (fine, jail, whipping) because they did something wrong like break the law or break rules การลงโทษ

guilty - proven to have committed a crime; having been decided by a court of law that you committed the crime your were accused of มีความผิด

Ms Narumon said she will not seek bail and has requested to stay inside the prison. She added that she will fight her case in court and accept punishment if found guilty. 

disciple - a student who follows in their teacher's footsteps or their teacher's example, someone deeply influenced by someone's teachings or what someone says ลูกศิษย์

Victims from tambon Khan-Ngern, Langsuan district, told police on April 19 that a Buddhist nun named "Pornpimol Saipetch", along with two or three "disciples", rented a house several months ago

worship - the activity of showing respect and love for a good บูชา
house of worship - a church or temple 

transformed - changed
transformed the home into a house of worship - change into a church or temple

ritual - a formal ceremony; a set of fixed actions performed regularly พิธีกรรม  พิธีการ

conduct - do
conducted various rituals

The group later transformed the home into a house of worship, where they conducted various rituals for the townspeople, they said.

purge - ล้าง, ล้างบาป
purging ritual

sin - an action, thought, or way of behaving that is wrong according to religious laws บาป
purge sin - ล้างบาป
purge them from sin

tray -  a flat thing for carrying food on it ถาด
One of their rituals required villagers to put 5,000-10,000 baht into a tray to purge them from sin.

pure - having nothing in something to spoil its quality or effect บริสุทธิ์

deemed - considered เห็นว่า ถือว่า
the nun deemed them pure

individuals - persons บุคคล
The individuals then needed to leave the money on the tray until the nun deemed them pure.

One of their rituals required villagers to put 5,000-10,000 baht into a tray to purge them from sin. The individuals then needed to leave the money on the tray until the nun deemed them pure.

deposits - money kept in the bank (in a bank account)
depositors - people who keep money in the bank
interest - payments made for the use of another's money for a period of time

They added that the group also started a bank system, accepting money deposits, providing loans, and giving interest.

complain - tell people about something you don't like บ่น

Around the beginning of April, people who participated in the purging ritual began complaining that it took too long to get their money out of the project. Depositors also were not receiving promised interest on their "deposits", said the victims.

disappear - to be at some place and not be there, and no one knows where you went หายไป

The nun and disciples all disappeared from the village last Friday morning.

cheat - โกง
cheated out of

According to the villagers, 30 townspeople in tambon Khan-Ngern were cheated out of some five million baht.

exchange -  to give one thing and get another thing แลกเปลี่ยน
villagers asked her to perform various rituals in exchange for money.

vendors - people who sell things, e.g., food or newspapers, usually outside on the street พ่อค้าแม่่ค้าหาบแร่แผงลอย

As for the bank system, she explained that she only obtained a small amount of money from the villagers and gave out loans to only vendors and villagers around the Langsuan Market. All money gathered had been returned, she said.

personal - for one person, not public, not for everyone ส่วนตัว, ส่วนบุคคล, เฉพาะตัว
expenses - the money you have to pay for things you need for life or your business ค่าใช้จ่าย
personal expenses - the things a person needs to buy in their life

donation - giving money or something to another person or organization การบริจาค

The woman added that she now has no money because of personal expenses and donations she made to temples.

file - to take official action, in this case, to make an official complaint ยื่นคำร้อง
complaints - when people say there is something wrong and they want it changed
file complaints

high-profile - some person or thing that is famous and well-known, so when something happens people notice 
high-profile individuals

All victims were women, police said. Many refused to file complaints because they are wives of high-profile individuals, they said.

taken into custody - Same as "arrest"
investigation - the process of trying to find out all the details or facts about something การสอบสวน การตรวจสอบหาข้อเท็จจริง
transferred - moved ย้าย; โยกย้าย

proceedings -an official process to deal with a problem or do something; a series of steps, tasks or events การดำเนินการ, พฤติการณ์, การปฏิบัติ
legal proceedings

The woman was taken into custody for further investigation and will later be transferred to Krabi police for legal proceedings