‘Magical’ amulets offer Thais a spiritual anchor

Some amulets cost as much as $30,000.

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — They can cost a small fortune, resemble ’80s disco jewelry, and are arguably un-Buddhist, but many Thais seeking psychic insurance in troubled times are snapping up so-called Jatukam Ramathep amulets, coin-shaped talismans with supposed magical powers.

The Jatukam amulets, coveted by millions of people in Thailand — and available on eBay for those living elsewhere — have become big business, as believers, collectors and speculators drive a thriving market. Rare ones reportedly command prices of more than $30,000.

The amulet craze has also led to robberies and at least one death, when a crowd stampeded for the opportunity to get a limited edition.

As Thailand muddles through political insecurity and nervousness about the economy, people are more openly grasping at supernatural aids. The fad vividly illustrates how belief in astrology, the occult and animism remain a major part of a modern, industrialized Thailand.

About the amulets

The amulets are usually the size of a silver dollar, and come in many materials, including bronze, silver and clay.

Prices depend on the materials used, the circumstances under which they were anointed — some were recently taken aloft on a jetliner to be blessed by monks — and how rare the model is.

It is not unusual for them to be encased in a gold frame hanging from a heavy link chain around the neck and worn outside the shirt — an awkward fashion statement, at best.

Many Thais carry or wear amulets, usually small ones depicting images associated with Buddhism, the religion of most Thais, though amulets are not formally part of its doctrine.

Most amulet owners are fairly discreet, wearing them under shirts and blouses. Serious believers carry more than one and as many as a dozen, though such ostentatiousness is usually associated with policemen and criminals — who understandably seek all the protection they can get.

Many wear them

But Jatukam amulets are everywhere; affluent businessmen, political protesters, teachers in the insurgency-wrecked south, curbside food vendors, all wear them proudly with the shared hope that they will ward off danger and attract good fortune.

“I was in a number of car accidents before. Once I started putting these amulets in my taxis and around my neck, my car has been safe no matter how many hours I am on the road each day and how tired I am,” said Surasak Mansee, a Bangkok taxi driver, who has three amulets draped on his rearview mirror and two more around his neck.

“I don’t know what you think, but my wife has also won some lotteries and we are happier than ever,” he said.

“People turn to superstition when they feel that religion and other social as well as judicial systems are no longer providing them the security and justice they need,” said respected archaeologist Srisak Vallibhotama. “It’s a reflection of the kind of society we live in.”

Although Buddhism promotes achieving inner peace through detachment from desires, many Thai who profess themselves adherents practice a spirituality that targets material gain as much as inner tranquility.