Â鶹APP

A Brief Guide to Thai Amulets

Anyone with even a passing interest in Thailand might well have noticed or seen a Thai amulet.

For those visiting the country and taking a taxi from the airport, for instance, the first sighting of an amulet is likely to be the one hung from the rear view mirror in the vehicle, usually along with a bunch of other items that are thought to have similar properties.

Those Thailand visitors with anything close to a keen eye may then start to notice said amulets dangling from around the necks of the many Thai people who wear them ‘on show’ – i.e. outside of their clothes – sometimes in multitudes on one necklace.

And although it’s not everyone, the majority of Thais do either sport or carry some kind of amulet, so it isn’t that surprising to learn that the equivalent of more than a million dollars’ worth of them are sold every year in the country, with many people (usually males) interested in collecting them.

Image by peak99 sourced from wikimedia commons

This is largely due not only to the collectability and perceived value of the amulets, but also the particular ‘magical’ qualities that some of these admittedly intriguing items are thought to possess. The qualities that the amulets are imbued with can allegedly instil into the life of the wearer anything from good fortune in wealth and health to physical protection, and even attraction of particular members of the opposite sex!

It’s certainly true that the Thais are a superstitious bunch, hence many are believers in all things magical and esoteric – and this plays a huge part in their seeming preoccupation with the amulets and their perceived qualities.

These qualities are related to various factors, which apparently stem from the design and the particular monks who have made them and/or the temples they originate from.

Consecration

All amulets produced by monks at the temples are consecrated – a process which comprises the mixing together of various materials along with chanting for extended periods.

Image sourced from creativecommons.org

The mixture is then pressed by hand into carefully-made wooden moulds in the shape of the specific amulet design until the piece is formed, accompanied by further chants and prayers.

Collectability

Certainly it would seem that the more highly-regarded and sought-after amulets were made by some of the most venerated monks in the Thai tradition, and many of these pieces have a value upwards of 1 million baht, depending on their point of origin and of course their age.

However, it does need to be pointed out to any would-be-collectors from overseas (or anywhere outside of Thailand, in fact) that many of these amulets are mass-produced, especially when there is a ‘trend’ towards a particular piece and its perceived qualities such as its ability to attract luck in finance or love, or protection from physical harm.

And yes, there are unfortunately plenty of unscrupulous temples or monks who will peddle cheap and useless mass-produced items or even fakes of known valuable charms to gullible tourists and other visitors. (It also needs to be pointed out that for the most part, the majority of Thais wouldn’t be likely to know the difference either.)

Locally there are many monthly publications related to the amulet ‘industry’ which include information regarding buying and selling along with pointers on which particular pieces are likely to be ‘lucky’ in some capacity and thus collectable.

And along with the regular local ‘amulet conventions’, there are always plenty of enthusiastic vendors selling the amulets both on the streets and in some areas of various shopping malls – especially in areas like Bangkok’s China Town.

Image sourced from creativecommons.org

To many ‘outsiders’, Thai amulets might seem like nothing more than lucky charms, but this is simply not the case from the viewpoint of the locals. These ‘charms’ are big business in Thailand, just like anything else that is perceived as an ongoing money-spinner.

Unfortunately though, even though Thailand is classified as a Buddhist nation, much of the buzz associated with these amulets actually has little to do with the ancient SE Asian religion and philosophy when it comes down to it, which will all be explained a little more in-depth in due course.

So without further adoo, come with us on this journey of delving a bit deeper into the mystery with a few interesting pointers in our brief guide to Thai amulets.

1. Thai Amulets are not strictly ‘Buddhist’ amulets

Many foreigners who are interested in Buddhism — particularly those who have studied it to any degree — are often left more than a little confused about the ‘Thai version’ of this ancient methodical, philosophical and religious system. And while this post is more focused on the amulets involved, you can get the low-down on another of our posts HERE 

And while things may well have been different in the past, most Thais themselves would agree that for the most part, the modern day Thai amulet trade is primarily related to the potential financial gain and superstitions surrounding the charms.

Image by tombrembo sourced from wikimedia commons

The Thai amulet tradition and culture can actually be traced back to a time before the inception of Buddhism, sometime prior to the 12^th century.

When Thais were still largely a tribal race, they collected and even worshipped amulets that had been consecrated according to the materials and rituals of that time.

When Buddhism (albeit the Thai version) was officially adopted as the national religion, the practising monks adapted and carried forth the amulet tradition, and historical records indicate that the amulets began to gain real popularity during King Rama V’s reign in the 1800s.

Buddhism per se actually contains particular tenets that consider superstitions and such like as unconscious and having little to do with the higher consciousness related to the path laid down by the Buddha.

Buddhism (as a system) also considers the trading of Buddha images for commercial purposes as offensive to tradition. Any amulets containing Buddhist imagery are supposed to remind the individual of the path of the Buddha and of his or her commitment to this path.

Welcome to Thailand!

2. Thai Amulets are Connected to Brahmanic and Hindu Tradition

Image by modernmajik sourced from wikipedia commons

So anyone who does begin to delve a little deeper into Thai ‘Buddhism’ will (if they have done their homework) come to realise that many of the ideas and beliefs come from other Indian systems of thought pre-dating Buddhism, such as Jainism and Hinduism among other things.

The perceived magic power of Thai amulets actually has its roots in Indian Brahmanic traditions, which also include some of the more extreme elements of what is commonly known today as yoga..

One principle related to these traditions is the fact that each batch of amulets produced in a temple must be done so by blessed, cleansed individuals.

3. Not all Thai Amulets are collectable

Many people spend considerable amounts of time trying to figure out how to identify the age, value, origin, and authenticity of a Thai amulet.

You may see them on the street or even at conventions, closely scrutinising particular pieces with an eye glass in the hope of discovering some long-lost, mystical and magical gem of an item.

Image sourced from creativecommons.org

The amulets considered by Thais as worth collecting are obviously the famous ones, the older ones, and the rarer ones. These particular amulets would usually have been made in very limited batches, usually to commemorate the passing of highly-venerated monks or to mark celebratory and especially significant days linked to the monarchy.

As far as foreigners are concerned though, there is a fairly good chance that they will end up shelling out well over the odds for any Thai amulet, even if they think they know a thing or two about them. Chances are they don’t, and more often than not they get it all very wrong.

Are there specific markings one should look for? Nope.

Is it easy to tell the difference between authentic and fake amulets? Nope.

And like pretty much everything in Thailand, the actual gen on anything is not freely given.

Most online searches (which, if you don’t read Thai will obviously have to be conducted in English) won’t actually help that much information-wise, even (or especially) the ones translated from Thai which can often be nonsensical.

The majority of information that is available in English contains warnings to beware of fakes, to not trust magazine pictures (or sellers) and to be careful of buying anything that you think is special which is most probably from a batch of mass-produced amulets, possibly made in a place other than a temple.

What makes the matter of fake amulets even more complex is the fact that the materials used for making them may usually appear to be no different from, or at least very close to, that of the authentic items.

Having said that, apparently the exact materials used by real monks to make the authentic amulets are closely guarded according to each batch, and they can even include items like the hair or spit of the monk who makes and blesses it, along with mud or clay from the grounds of the particular temple that the monks stays at.

Image by peak99 sourced from wikimedia commons

Another reoccurring warning that may be encountered in any research is to look out for vendors who are largely selling their items via the luck/magic aspect of the amulet, rather than over spiritual or religious purpose and heritage.

Some enthusiasts claim that authentic sellers are genuinely interested in promoting a proper market for resale, and that they are primarily concerned with promoting and cultivating the principles involved in Buddhist faith – but that is somewhat contradictory in and of  itself and is met with much scepticism from many Thai people.

4. There are a few Thai Amulet ‘no-no’s’

As with many things related to Thai culture and religion, there are a few ‘taboos’ related to these amulets – however, it should be noted that these are hardly Buddhist tenets, but rather more ‘Thai’ rules.

Here are 5 significant ‘no-no’s related to the amulets:

* Thai amulets should never be worn below the waist. The exact reason for this is shady, but possibly related to the proximity of the amulet to one’s nether regions which shouldn’t come into contact with the piece for any reason.

* Following on from that, the amulets are not supposed to be placed in any bedroom where any kind of (ahem) frolicking is likely to occur.

* Prayers of blessings should always be offered before and after wearing an amulet.

* Amulets should be removed when bathing.

* Odd numbers of amulets should not be worn (i.e.1,3,5) as balance and symmetry must be  maintained. This is somewhat odd though as there does seem to be conflicting information about this on different collector’s websites. (Numbers and various superstitions related to them in Thailand is a whole other post entirely!)

5. There are a few significantly famous amulets

During the reign of King Rama V when the Thai amulet tradition started to gain some real weight among the people, a renowned monk of that era produced and consecrated one of the most sought-after amulets today.

Phra Somdej Toh (who was originally of royal descent), a monk from a temple called Wat Rakheng in Bangkok, made what is believed to be one of the most powerfully-designed pieces in existence. Apparently this particular monk who actually became the abbot of the temple while still quite young, consecrated close on to 100,000 amulets, which would at the time have been given out to local communities and followers who supported the temple.

Image sourced from creativecommons.org

Phra Somdej made the amulets from a variety of different ingredients believed to contribute to their magical properties such as pollen, temple oil, incense, rice, and banana leaves – although of course the complete formula would have been kept secret.

The most famous amulet sets is known as Banjapakee (translated as ‘5 types’) , and this is a collection of 5 pieces which include the Phra Somdej design along with 4 others from monks known as Phra Rod, Phra Nang Phaya, Phra Phong Suparn, and Phra Soomgor.

These particular amulets, either collectively or individually, are among the most sough-after by collectors, with original pieces increasing in value with age.

The Somdej amulet is believed to bring good karma and positive energy to the bearer — not exactly a bad reason for wanting to own or wear one.