Nakhon Si Thammarat _ The demand for Jatukarm Ramathep amulets has faded with few requests now being made to a temple to perform rituals for the talismans. Phra Rajthammasuthee, abbot of Wat Phra Mahathat Voramahaviharn in Nakhon Si Thammarat and provincial chief monk, attributes the declining demand for Jatukarm Ramathep talismans to oversupply. However, public faith in the amulets remains high, he said.
During the Jatukarm amulet craze, the temple, where the talismans originated, had been fully booked for rituals, said the abbot. Now only a few amulet makers made requests for his temple to perform rites for new models of the talisman. Previously, the temple received 700-800 requests a month.
The oversupply of amulets including the sale of the fake ones caused prices to drop sharply. Some fake amulets sell for just five baht each.
A source said the atmosphere at the temple was quiet. Owners of amulet stalls in the temple compound had to sell other products just to survive. Over the past few months, crowds of people from all regions flocked to this temple to buy amulets, which brought quick riches to the makers and retailers. Some company employees quit their jobs to enter the business which yielded handsome profits during the boom.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/13Aug2007_news03.php
Showing posts with label Nakhon Si Thammarat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nakhon Si Thammarat. Show all posts
05 September 2007
24 August 2007
Patriarch ends role in amulets
His Holiness the Supreme Patriarch will no longer provide materials from his temple, such as ash from incense or powder from bricks, to make the amulets that have sparked a crime wave in Nakhon Si Thammarat, it was announced yesterday.
Jatukham Rammathep amulets, which are believed to have magical powers and cost up to Bt600,000 apiece, can only be made with the permission of the southern province's Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawiharn.
The Supreme Patriarch has provided materials to produce amulets to all temples and individuals that request them but will now stop doing so, the office of his secretary announced yesterday. It did not say why.
However, a source said the announcement was made after revered monk Luang Ta Bua of Wat Pa Ban Tad blessed the Supreme Patriarch to mark his 18th anniversary as head of the country's Buddhists, at Chulalongkorn Hospital yesterday.
Interest in the amulets began in the middle of last year and hit fever pitch this year. Earlier this month a woman was crushed to death when thousands of people rushed into a school in Nakhon Si Thammarat to buy coupons they could exchange for the amulets.
The amulets have become the main target of thieves in Nakhon Si Thammarat, said Colonel Yanaphat Norasing, superintendent of the police in the province's Muang district.
Amulet robberies occur daily, local residents say. Yesterday, 30 amulets worth Bt15,000 were stolen from the residence of Phra Palad Nikom Kamalo, abbot of Wat Nam Song in Muang district.
Recently, a thief broke through the ceiling of an amulet stall in the province and made off with more than Bt200,000 worth of Jatukham Ramathep amulets.
Monks from the province welcomed the Supreme Patriarch's announcement. They said they were concerned the materials he provided were being used to boost the prices of the amulets.
As demand for the amulets sparked surging prices, many Buddhists became concerned that Buddhism was being turned into a commodity. The Supreme Patriarch's announcement was welcomed as it would protect him from being sullied by those seeking to trade on his position for financial gain, said a monk involved in the incantation rites for Jatukham Rammathep amulets.
"Some amulet sellers used photos of the Supreme Patriarch giving them materials [for amulets] to boost sales," he said.
Incantation rites for the amulets can only be performed at Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawiharn. Its abbot has said incantations for more than 30 editions of the amulets have been performed at the temple so far this year. Amulet makers from across the country have set up shop at the temple.
Although welcome, the Supreme patriarch's announcement would not lessen demand for Jatukham Rammathep amulets, a monk said.
Amulet makers have been competing to come up with new and strange materials, he said.
On Saturday night, thousands of people gathered at Wat Muang Talord and Wat Ta Chang because they heard rumours that the temples were being used to store the popular Ngern Lai Ma edition of the amulets.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/04/23/national/national_30032451.php
Jatukham Rammathep amulets, which are believed to have magical powers and cost up to Bt600,000 apiece, can only be made with the permission of the southern province's Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawiharn.
The Supreme Patriarch has provided materials to produce amulets to all temples and individuals that request them but will now stop doing so, the office of his secretary announced yesterday. It did not say why.
However, a source said the announcement was made after revered monk Luang Ta Bua of Wat Pa Ban Tad blessed the Supreme Patriarch to mark his 18th anniversary as head of the country's Buddhists, at Chulalongkorn Hospital yesterday.
Interest in the amulets began in the middle of last year and hit fever pitch this year. Earlier this month a woman was crushed to death when thousands of people rushed into a school in Nakhon Si Thammarat to buy coupons they could exchange for the amulets.
The amulets have become the main target of thieves in Nakhon Si Thammarat, said Colonel Yanaphat Norasing, superintendent of the police in the province's Muang district.
Amulet robberies occur daily, local residents say. Yesterday, 30 amulets worth Bt15,000 were stolen from the residence of Phra Palad Nikom Kamalo, abbot of Wat Nam Song in Muang district.
Recently, a thief broke through the ceiling of an amulet stall in the province and made off with more than Bt200,000 worth of Jatukham Ramathep amulets.
Monks from the province welcomed the Supreme Patriarch's announcement. They said they were concerned the materials he provided were being used to boost the prices of the amulets.
As demand for the amulets sparked surging prices, many Buddhists became concerned that Buddhism was being turned into a commodity. The Supreme Patriarch's announcement was welcomed as it would protect him from being sullied by those seeking to trade on his position for financial gain, said a monk involved in the incantation rites for Jatukham Rammathep amulets.
"Some amulet sellers used photos of the Supreme Patriarch giving them materials [for amulets] to boost sales," he said.
Incantation rites for the amulets can only be performed at Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawiharn. Its abbot has said incantations for more than 30 editions of the amulets have been performed at the temple so far this year. Amulet makers from across the country have set up shop at the temple.
Although welcome, the Supreme patriarch's announcement would not lessen demand for Jatukham Rammathep amulets, a monk said.
Amulet makers have been competing to come up with new and strange materials, he said.
On Saturday night, thousands of people gathered at Wat Muang Talord and Wat Ta Chang because they heard rumours that the temples were being used to store the popular Ngern Lai Ma edition of the amulets.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/04/23/national/national_30032451.php
18 August 2007
Jatukham - Ramathep and Tourism Industry of Nakhon Si Thammarat
The trend of "Jatukham-Ramathep" is the new occurrence of Thai society. Though the definition and meaning of Jatukham-Ramathep are still puzzled and lure to find out the answer. Many chronicles and theories have been trying to sort out the solution but still there is no conclusion for the case. Some said thatJatukham-Ramathep are the protecting Theva of Nakhon Si Thammarat, some said Jatukham-Ramathep are the gods of war in Hindu and are the sons of Siva that Tamil people have been respecting for thousand years. Some also said thatJatukham-Ramathep are King Jantharapanu who declared independence of Nakhon Si Thammarat from both Lawo and Srivichaya realms.
However, Nakhon Si Thammarat that is known as the source of Jatukham-Ramathep is promptly flourishing. All roads are heading to Nakhon Si Thammarat unceasingly. It is also believed that the genuine Jatukham-Ramathep medals must get through the virtue functions of Buddhist and Deva at Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihara and the City Shrine. Such trend makes tourists and believers from all four peninsulas everyday until Nakhon Si Thammarat becomes surprisingly agile and colorful. Flights to Nakhon Si Thammarat are increased in response to the unceasing number of tourists. According to the trend, hotels, restaurants, souvenirs shops, photo shops, publishers, frame shops, as well as herbal grounding shops are taking advantages of it. It can be said that the trend ofJatukham-Ramathep has been over turning tourist situation of Nakhon Si Thammarat to be unexpectedly thrived. The stories and believes about Jatukham-Ramathep are varied as same as variety models of Jatukham-Ramathep that have been made. Only sharing the same practice of worshiping the Jatukham-Ramathep , must behave itself to be in complete Five Precepts, Moral Fears, and working with full effort for the success. In response to thetrand, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) produced the Aor Sor Thor magazine, May 2007 issue, introduced the civilization of Nakhon Si Thammarat and tour programs introducing connecting routes in between responsible areas of TAT Southern Office Region 2 with the intentions to provide earnings to locals and extend length of tourist stays.
http://www.tat.or.th/south02/hotnewsdet.asp?id=304&dept_id=4
However, Nakhon Si Thammarat that is known as the source of Jatukham-Ramathep is promptly flourishing. All roads are heading to Nakhon Si Thammarat unceasingly. It is also believed that the genuine Jatukham-Ramathep medals must get through the virtue functions of Buddhist and Deva at Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihara and the City Shrine. Such trend makes tourists and believers from all four peninsulas everyday until Nakhon Si Thammarat becomes surprisingly agile and colorful. Flights to Nakhon Si Thammarat are increased in response to the unceasing number of tourists. According to the trend, hotels, restaurants, souvenirs shops, photo shops, publishers, frame shops, as well as herbal grounding shops are taking advantages of it. It can be said that the trend ofJatukham-Ramathep has been over turning tourist situation of Nakhon Si Thammarat to be unexpectedly thrived. The stories and believes about Jatukham-Ramathep are varied as same as variety models of Jatukham-Ramathep that have been made. Only sharing the same practice of worshiping the Jatukham-Ramathep , must behave itself to be in complete Five Precepts, Moral Fears, and working with full effort for the success. In response to thetrand, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) produced the Aor Sor Thor magazine, May 2007 issue, introduced the civilization of Nakhon Si Thammarat and tour programs introducing connecting routes in between responsible areas of TAT Southern Office Region 2 with the intentions to provide earnings to locals and extend length of tourist stays.
http://www.tat.or.th/south02/hotnewsdet.asp?id=304&dept_id=4
11 August 2007
Jatukam Ramathep Nakhon Si Thammarat
Jatukam Ramathep Nakhon Si Thammarat
This jatukam amulet is made in Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. It was mass-chanted by 68 monks during a Holy ceremony. Nowadays, Jatukam amulet is very popular in Thailand. The price and value of jatukam amulets has increase non-stop over the years. This amulet is also popular in many foreign countries too. This is because of supernatural power and miracle from JaTuKam RaMaThep. Jatukam RaMaThep is a holy god who protects Phra BaRomMaThat at Nakhon Si Thammarat province.
According to historians, old Nakhon Si Thammarat was a part of Srivijaya, a coastal kingdom incorporating Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, mainland Indochina and western Borneo that flourished from around 500 CE until the late 11th century.
History also tells us that the Vajrayana sect of Mahayana Buddhism held sway in Srivijaya, and that its ruler considered himself a bodhisattva.
Legend has it that King Chandrabhanu, who was also known as Pangpagan, was a black-skinned warrior who courageously battled evil. This is why amulets of Pangpagan and Rahu (a black deity who inspires terror) are included in the group of Jatukam talismans.
The classic Jatukam is depicted seated, with his right leg slightly lifted; JaTuKam RaMaThep means soul of former king of Sri Vichai Kingdom. He is full of prestige and popularity. Moreover, he is full of ten virtues.
People believe that JaTuKam RaMaThep was a former king of Sri Vichai Kingdom who protects Phra BaRomMa That and Nakorn Sri ThammaRat City. JaTuKam RaMaThep is a symbol of Bodhisattva.
This amulet feature jatukam, sitting on top of pra rahu. People say pra rahu will eat away all the bad luck and evil and jatukam will give you all the good luck and success. This amulet is made of many old holy powder and material.
Suitable for people
1) Who wants success in life
2) Able to ask for any wish to be fulfilled
3) Protection and best of luck everyday
4) Overcome obstacles and hardship in life.
5) Business to boom
6) Sales to boosts up
7) Well-liked and respect by all
8) Get rid of bad luck, evil, bad influences and increase personal luck.
9) Fortune fetching and attract wealth from all four personal direction of life.
10) Power, authority and confidence to carry out any difficult task.
Three rules to keep while making a wish from jatukam,
1. Possible wishing that not contrary with morals
2. After successful wishing needs to act of keeping one’s promise
3. Make merit and good deed dedicate to JaTuKam
There are many more testimonial and different effect, but only when you wear this amulet then you will be able to experience the true power and blessing of jatukam ramathep.
miracle-thaiamulet.com
09 August 2007
Thailand caught in an amulet craze
By Todd Crowell
NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, Thailand - This city lies at roughly the same latitude as as the internationally renowned resort destination of Phuket, except that it is on the Gulf of Thailand side of the Malay Peninsula, while Phuket is an island in the Andaman Sea.
Nakhon Si Thammarat is an ancient city, tracing its present incarnation to the 13th century. One can easily discern the outlines of the old city in the current layout of streets and in the remnants of the city wall.
Lately, Nakhon Si Thammarat has become a tourist destination, possibly the biggest in Thailand. Four flights a day from Bangkok disgorge visitors. They stream off buses and trains. The city estimates that 1.6 million people visited in 2006, straining its modest accommodations.
Very few of the visitors are foreign tourists - no sun-seeking Europeans, no backpackers, no beachcombers. During the weekend I spent there, I encountered only one other farang (ethnic-European foreigner), a Dane who was attending his brother-in-law's wedding, and he seemed happy enough to get back to Chiang Mai.
The Thai visitors are pilgrims, really. They don't come because of the city's rich history, the Makhalon archeological site to the north or the Phrom Lok Waterfall or any of the other attractions touted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Southern Region. No, they come for just one reason: Jatukam!
All of Thailand is in the grip of Jatukam fever and the supposed magical powers of the talisman, but nowhere else is it so all-consuming as in this city, where it all began. It seems every other citizen is wearing one of the amulets.
They are easy to spot, since they look like Olympic bronze medals suspended by a chain around the neck. Sometimes more than one. (Thai joke: A man goes to the doctor complaining of neck and shoulder pain. The doctor points to the five Jatukam medallions strung around his neck and suggests he lighten the load.)
It is impossible to ignore the phenomenon here. Billboards plastered on the side of buildings display the latest models. Sound trucks that in any other Thai city might be advertising boxing matches or the candidates in local elections broadcast information on new medals.
Along Ratchadamoen Road, the city's main street, whole shops are given over to display cases stocked with the medallions in their little plastic cases, generally priced from 2,000-5,000 baht (US$62-$154). Even stores that sell ordinary household items still have a few cases displaying the latest amulets.
The Jatukam craze has become a huge bonanza for Nakhon Si Thammarat and the Buddhist temples that give the medals their blessing. Of the city's 560 temples, 200 produce the amulets, and more are planning to do so. The sales and visitors have brought in more than 10 billion baht. (Nationally the amulets trade is estimated at 40 billion baht.)
Jatukam fever is bringing in so much money that the Thai Revenue Department is considering whether to tax the amulets, helping to offset loss of tax revenue from the general downturn in the economy. "There's a tremendous amount of money floating around in the amulet market," said department director general Sanit Rangnoi.
What is Jatukam?
The amulet's full name actually refers to two people, Jatukam Rammathep, and their origin is obscure and difficult to understand for someone not steeped in Hindu-Buddhist mythology. By some accounts, they were princes in the 13th-century Srivijay Kingdom of which Nakhon Si Thammarat was the center.
Another theory is that the names are a corruption of Khuttugama and Ramadeva, two Hindu guardians that can be seen alongside the stairway leading into the inner sanctum of the Great Stupa of Wat Pra Mahathat, which is said to be the most important and historic Buddhist wat (temple complex) in southern Thailand.
The first Jatukam amulets were stuck and sold in 1987 (they now fetch prices in excess of a million baht, or nearly $30,000). But only a few of the amulets were sold for many years. The craze only took off last year.
Most Jatukam enthusiasts associate the amulets with a much more contemporary figure, Police Major-General Phantarak Rajadej, the provincial police chief who died last September at age 103. He was said to have magical powers and was instrumental in building the holy site called the City Pillar, now a center of the amulet trade.
His cremation ceremony here in February drew tens of thousands of people, some hoping to obtain one of the talismans distributed to mourners. His Royal Highness Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn presided.
On a rainy Saturday, I found my way to the City Pillar to observe the consecration of a new Jatukam amulet. The pillar is a golden stele, with the four faces of Buddha at the top enclosed in a white alabaster structure.
In the late morning, the courtyard was already crowded with people. A huge offering table displayed a feast of symbolic offerings: heaps of grapes, bananas, crabs, durians, even two hogs' heads. A loudspeaker blared out constant announcements or prayers. Every now and then one heard the crackling of fireworks.
At 1:30pm, 10 saffron-clad monks took their seats on a long bench on one side of the pillar and began a steady, droning prayer chant that lasted for 40 minutes as people paid their respects by listening respectfully, their hands folded in prayer.
On the far side of the pillar complex, several men were kneading clay that would be pressed into amulets. The chanting came to a close, and a senior monk took his place in front of a press, having the privilege of striking off the first amulet.
Then he stood up, cupping the newly minted medallion in the palm of his hand for all to see. People crowded around to gape and take pictures as if it were some kind of exotic and fabulously expensive rare jewel. Another little Buddha was born.
Hope amid uncertainty
There are plenty of theories to explain the enormous popularity of the Jatukam phenomenon in Thailand at this time in its history. And there are plenty of people happy to testify about motorbike accidents survived, of diseases cured by the miraculous power of the amulet.
Some argue that the phenomenon is symptomatic of the "confused state of Thai Buddhism" - to quote The Nation newspaper - where temples and monks are willing to debase their religion and calling for the enormous profits that can be had from amulet sales, sales that dwarf the traditional temple trinkets by a huge margin.
Some argue that Thais are feeling insecure given the country's political turmoil and the aging of their beloved monarch, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and thus put their faith in objects they think can bring them good fortune, or at least keep away the bad.
One should not discount their sheer collectibility. New amulets are issued almost every day. Glossy, four-color catalogues display the latest models complete with the numbers of each limited edition and their prices.
And there is also the simple excitement of one young woman at the City Pillar as she struggled to convey in her limited English to this unenlightened farang why she was so happy to be present at the consecration of a new Jatukam amulet: "It gives you everything."
Todd Crowell is a Thailand-based correspondent for Asia Times Online.
www.atimes.com
NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, Thailand - This city lies at roughly the same latitude as as the internationally renowned resort destination of Phuket, except that it is on the Gulf of Thailand side of the Malay Peninsula, while Phuket is an island in the Andaman Sea.
Nakhon Si Thammarat is an ancient city, tracing its present incarnation to the 13th century. One can easily discern the outlines of the old city in the current layout of streets and in the remnants of the city wall.
Lately, Nakhon Si Thammarat has become a tourist destination, possibly the biggest in Thailand. Four flights a day from Bangkok disgorge visitors. They stream off buses and trains. The city estimates that 1.6 million people visited in 2006, straining its modest accommodations.
Very few of the visitors are foreign tourists - no sun-seeking Europeans, no backpackers, no beachcombers. During the weekend I spent there, I encountered only one other farang (ethnic-European foreigner), a Dane who was attending his brother-in-law's wedding, and he seemed happy enough to get back to Chiang Mai.
The Thai visitors are pilgrims, really. They don't come because of the city's rich history, the Makhalon archeological site to the north or the Phrom Lok Waterfall or any of the other attractions touted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Southern Region. No, they come for just one reason: Jatukam!
All of Thailand is in the grip of Jatukam fever and the supposed magical powers of the talisman, but nowhere else is it so all-consuming as in this city, where it all began. It seems every other citizen is wearing one of the amulets.
They are easy to spot, since they look like Olympic bronze medals suspended by a chain around the neck. Sometimes more than one. (Thai joke: A man goes to the doctor complaining of neck and shoulder pain. The doctor points to the five Jatukam medallions strung around his neck and suggests he lighten the load.)
It is impossible to ignore the phenomenon here. Billboards plastered on the side of buildings display the latest models. Sound trucks that in any other Thai city might be advertising boxing matches or the candidates in local elections broadcast information on new medals.
Along Ratchadamoen Road, the city's main street, whole shops are given over to display cases stocked with the medallions in their little plastic cases, generally priced from 2,000-5,000 baht (US$62-$154). Even stores that sell ordinary household items still have a few cases displaying the latest amulets.
The Jatukam craze has become a huge bonanza for Nakhon Si Thammarat and the Buddhist temples that give the medals their blessing. Of the city's 560 temples, 200 produce the amulets, and more are planning to do so. The sales and visitors have brought in more than 10 billion baht. (Nationally the amulets trade is estimated at 40 billion baht.)
Jatukam fever is bringing in so much money that the Thai Revenue Department is considering whether to tax the amulets, helping to offset loss of tax revenue from the general downturn in the economy. "There's a tremendous amount of money floating around in the amulet market," said department director general Sanit Rangnoi.
What is Jatukam?
The amulet's full name actually refers to two people, Jatukam Rammathep, and their origin is obscure and difficult to understand for someone not steeped in Hindu-Buddhist mythology. By some accounts, they were princes in the 13th-century Srivijay Kingdom of which Nakhon Si Thammarat was the center.
Another theory is that the names are a corruption of Khuttugama and Ramadeva, two Hindu guardians that can be seen alongside the stairway leading into the inner sanctum of the Great Stupa of Wat Pra Mahathat, which is said to be the most important and historic Buddhist wat (temple complex) in southern Thailand.
The first Jatukam amulets were stuck and sold in 1987 (they now fetch prices in excess of a million baht, or nearly $30,000). But only a few of the amulets were sold for many years. The craze only took off last year.
Most Jatukam enthusiasts associate the amulets with a much more contemporary figure, Police Major-General Phantarak Rajadej, the provincial police chief who died last September at age 103. He was said to have magical powers and was instrumental in building the holy site called the City Pillar, now a center of the amulet trade.
His cremation ceremony here in February drew tens of thousands of people, some hoping to obtain one of the talismans distributed to mourners. His Royal Highness Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn presided.
On a rainy Saturday, I found my way to the City Pillar to observe the consecration of a new Jatukam amulet. The pillar is a golden stele, with the four faces of Buddha at the top enclosed in a white alabaster structure.
In the late morning, the courtyard was already crowded with people. A huge offering table displayed a feast of symbolic offerings: heaps of grapes, bananas, crabs, durians, even two hogs' heads. A loudspeaker blared out constant announcements or prayers. Every now and then one heard the crackling of fireworks.
At 1:30pm, 10 saffron-clad monks took their seats on a long bench on one side of the pillar and began a steady, droning prayer chant that lasted for 40 minutes as people paid their respects by listening respectfully, their hands folded in prayer.
On the far side of the pillar complex, several men were kneading clay that would be pressed into amulets. The chanting came to a close, and a senior monk took his place in front of a press, having the privilege of striking off the first amulet.
Then he stood up, cupping the newly minted medallion in the palm of his hand for all to see. People crowded around to gape and take pictures as if it were some kind of exotic and fabulously expensive rare jewel. Another little Buddha was born.
Hope amid uncertainty
There are plenty of theories to explain the enormous popularity of the Jatukam phenomenon in Thailand at this time in its history. And there are plenty of people happy to testify about motorbike accidents survived, of diseases cured by the miraculous power of the amulet.
Some argue that the phenomenon is symptomatic of the "confused state of Thai Buddhism" - to quote The Nation newspaper - where temples and monks are willing to debase their religion and calling for the enormous profits that can be had from amulet sales, sales that dwarf the traditional temple trinkets by a huge margin.
Some argue that Thais are feeling insecure given the country's political turmoil and the aging of their beloved monarch, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and thus put their faith in objects they think can bring them good fortune, or at least keep away the bad.
One should not discount their sheer collectibility. New amulets are issued almost every day. Glossy, four-color catalogues display the latest models complete with the numbers of each limited edition and their prices.
And there is also the simple excitement of one young woman at the City Pillar as she struggled to convey in her limited English to this unenlightened farang why she was so happy to be present at the consecration of a new Jatukam amulet: "It gives you everything."
Todd Crowell is a Thailand-based correspondent for Asia Times Online.
www.atimes.com
04 August 2007
The tourists may be flocking to Nakhon Si Thammarat for Jatukam amulets, but the province has so much more to offer, writes Nattaporn Luangpipat.
Published on August 4, 2007
The southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat has long been known for its rich jungles and beautiful beaches, but the environment isn't what's drawing the crowds. Over the past couple of years, it's become one of the hottest spots in the Kingdom with visitors flocking to its temples to witness the daily consecration of Jatukam Ramathep amulets.
Introduced in the province with little fanfare 20 years ago, these amulets have gained a huge following among Thais, who believe they bring fortune.
Today, incantation ceremonies are held all over town, with the centuries old Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan a favourite place for consecration.
Not all residents are pleased at the onslaught of visitors, though, fearing that vibrations from trucks carrying the newly minted amulets into temple grounds will damage this important historical site.
The pagoda, which stands 56 metres high, has a distinctive Sri Lankan style and its spire is covered in gold. Stupas and trees surround the pagoda and golden Buddha images are lined up on both sides of the building.
It's hot in the city and we're relieved to leave for Khanom, a small coastal town about 80 kilometres north of the city, where we board a long-tailed boat to try our luck at netting some cuttlefish.
Because of the rocks, even medium-sized fishing boats can't come close to the shore. Night has already fallen as we transfer from the small long-tailed boat to a larger vessel, but within 10 minutes of boarding, the green light and fresh bait on the hook has landed our prey. Our host grins and tells us we are lucky.
"Usually, cuttlefish are best caught when the moon is on the wane. The moon is bright tonight so they are harder to catch," he explains.
"These days, we catch less fish because the trawler owners are greedy. The local people are satisfied with a plain and peaceful life. But the trawler owners try to take advantage of nature. They spread anaesthetic under the sea, wait for a few minutes and catch as much fish as they want."
"It's not fair to the fish. It's a dishonourable fight and really selfish," complains a fisherman.
After a few hours of moving from place to place and no more fish in the net, we sail back to the shore. Other boats, we learn, caught up to 10 cuttlefish and their owners offer to grill the meat for us. We decline and head to the resort to get some sleep.
The next morning, we head out on sparkling aquamarine waters to see the pink dolphins that are unique to the Khanom coastline. Some small fish swim alongside the boat and the helmsman tells us they are called luk pla pan or baby Pan fish, a favourite food of the mullet.
Before long we see the dolphins, said to be the only school left in Thai waters. Not much is known about the dolphin's colouring because of their remoteness and rarity, but it is thought that they turn pink as they get older.
Pink dolphins are also found in small populations off the coast of China and Vietnam and are struggling to survive due to pollution and over-fishing.
We arrive back to Khanom in the evening and head to the weekend market in town, where stalls are selling aromatic fish soup, fried chicken and vermicelli salad. Business is brisk and before long, the stalls kill the lights, signalling that their pots are empty.
A giant colourful playground has been set up in an adjacent lot and the local children are having a great time on the slide. A group of women are taking part in an aerobics class while others, their shopping finished, have gathered around the stage to watch traditional dancing, country folk performances and comedians.
"The market is busy and there are many more people because of the Jatukam ceremonies. The amulets are being made and consecrated every day. It's good for us, we sell more," confides a merchant, gesturing towards the shrine where, despite the late hour, an incantation is just finishing.
Even here, in quiet Khanom, Jatukam fever is raging.
Nattaporn Luangpipat
The Nation
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