By Noppawan Bunluesilp
BANGKOK (Reuters) - A craze for plasticine amulets that promise to make their owners "Super Rich" or "Rich without Reason" is sweeping across Thailand to the dismay of traditionalists in the predominantly Buddhist nation.
Some monks have come out swinging against the so-called Jatukam Ramathep frenzy, saying it has turned the Buddhist priesthood into an "amulet-blessing industry" despite the religion's shunning of earthly possessions and materialism.
Temples across the country are churning out thousands of the disc-shaped amulets, which are about the size of a coffee-cup lid and stamped with anything from images of Hindu deities to former Thai kings to Buddha.
To gain maximum "power", the amulet and its ingredients have to be prayed over by monks for days. A top-of-the-range gold-leaf edition from a well-respected temple costs 10,000 baht (148 pounds) or more -- more than a month's wages for many Thais.
The nation of 65 million people, most of whom remain deeply superstitious despite the rapid modernisation of places such as Bangkok, has spent more than 20 billion baht on the amulets this year, newspapers say.
The scale of the phenomenon is now so large the Revenue Department is looking into ways of taxing amulet sales despite a convention that donations or money going to Buddhist temples are exempt from tax.
EMOTIONAL PROP OR SIMPLE SCAM?
The craze stems from a highly respected policeman called Phantarak Rajadej, who died aged 103 last year in the southern seaside town of Nakhon Si Thammarat. Phantarak, who many Thais believe had magic powers, was said to have made the first amulet.
After his death, the number of amulets exploded, with hundreds of different "product lines" emerging with names such as "Super Rich", "Super Millionaire" and "Rich without Reason".
In the early stages of the craze, a woman was crushed to death in a crowd trying to place amulet orders at a Nakhon Si Thammarat temple.
Rather than wearing their talisman discreetly under their shirts, as Thais have done since time immemorial, Jatukam owners display it proudly on the outside, suspended on a thick gold chain that would be more at home on the neck of a U.S. rap star.
"My life has got better since I bought my first Jatukam," said 45-year-old Somchai Vichitbanjong, who now owns nearly 500 different varieties.
"I usually have a Jatukam with me all the time. Whenever I go out, if I'm not wearing one I have to go back home and get it."
Besides Thais' long-standing belief in luck, some believe the craze is a reflection of the political uncertainty that has gripped the country since last year's military coup against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
"Jatukam supports people and makes them feel strong, as well as giving them clarity of thought," Phra Taweesak, abbot of Bangkok's Wat Srinuan, said after a blessing ceremony for a consignment of several thousand amulets.
Others disagree, saying it is a blatant scam by unscrupulous monks playing upon the superstitions of ordinary people to raise money.
"When some temples want a new building, they just use Jatukam to raise funds," said Phra Payom Kalayano, a high-profile abbot who has launched a range of edible, chocolate-flavoured "Jatukam cookies" to encourage Thais to spend money on essentials such as food rather than trinkets.
The craze is also undermining a religion already under threat from Bangkok's transition into a throbbing international metropolis over the last few decades, he says.
"Recently, materialism and the amulets have diverted people from the core of Buddha's teaching," he told Reuters at his leafy monastic compound on the outskirts of the teeming capital.
"This makes Buddha's teaching fade away."
bswa.org
28 July 2007
SALES OF AMULETS ARE THRIVING LIKE CRAZY
Vendors earn more than they dreamed of in Nakhon Si Thammarat
Sales of Jatukarm Ramathep amulets are thriving in Nakhon Si Thammarat's Muang district, with many sellers earning more money than they ever dreamed of.
Duangchanok Amornsak closed down her traditional dance school in August last year and began trading Jatukarm Ramathep talismans.
She admits to making a good profit as demand for the amulets which are priced from 199 to 150,000 baht has surged. She also sells T-shirts bearing the image of the talisman, and books and pictures.
"I used to get about 10,000 baht a month as a dance teacher. Now I earn from 100,000 to 200,000 baht a month from selling the amulets," she said.
Stalls selling the amulets are on almost every road in downtown Muang district. Although the amulets were introduced in the province 20 years ago, Ms Duangchanok believes their popularity jumped only recently, with the funeral of Pol Maj-Gen Khun Phantharak Rajadej, a well-respected local aristocrat.
Thousands of people flocked to the cremation of Khun Phantharak to obtain the amulets, which were distributed by his children as keepsakes.
Sales of the amulets have stimulated the local economy, putting an estimated 100 million baht into circulation.
Pailin Arunjit also quit her job to become a talisman vendor.
Ms Pailin said she invested 30,000 baht to open her business three months ago. Now she earns about 100,000 baht a month.
"I had never thought that I would have what I have today. My monthly salary as a department store worker was a few thousand baht," she said, adding that she is now able to pay off her debts.
Ms Duangchanok said she believed the talisman would sell well for the next two to three years before dying down, as was "the law of nature".
She personally believed in the magical powers of Jatukarm Ramathep and had various versions of the amulets in stock.
"I don't try to persuade anyone to believe me or to buy the talismans from me. There is no point in owning the amulet but not behaving well. Jatukarm Ramathep will only protect decent people, bringing them good luck," she said.
The amulets comprise a group of talismans with images of a deity and symbols dating back to the ancient Malay kingdom of Srivijaya, of which Nakhon Si Thammarat was a part.
from Bangkok Post
Story by Anucha Charoenpo
Sales of Jatukarm Ramathep amulets are thriving in Nakhon Si Thammarat's Muang district, with many sellers earning more money than they ever dreamed of.
Duangchanok Amornsak closed down her traditional dance school in August last year and began trading Jatukarm Ramathep talismans.
She admits to making a good profit as demand for the amulets which are priced from 199 to 150,000 baht has surged. She also sells T-shirts bearing the image of the talisman, and books and pictures.
"I used to get about 10,000 baht a month as a dance teacher. Now I earn from 100,000 to 200,000 baht a month from selling the amulets," she said.
Stalls selling the amulets are on almost every road in downtown Muang district. Although the amulets were introduced in the province 20 years ago, Ms Duangchanok believes their popularity jumped only recently, with the funeral of Pol Maj-Gen Khun Phantharak Rajadej, a well-respected local aristocrat.
Thousands of people flocked to the cremation of Khun Phantharak to obtain the amulets, which were distributed by his children as keepsakes.
Sales of the amulets have stimulated the local economy, putting an estimated 100 million baht into circulation.
Pailin Arunjit also quit her job to become a talisman vendor.
Ms Pailin said she invested 30,000 baht to open her business three months ago. Now she earns about 100,000 baht a month.
"I had never thought that I would have what I have today. My monthly salary as a department store worker was a few thousand baht," she said, adding that she is now able to pay off her debts.
Ms Duangchanok said she believed the talisman would sell well for the next two to three years before dying down, as was "the law of nature".
She personally believed in the magical powers of Jatukarm Ramathep and had various versions of the amulets in stock.
"I don't try to persuade anyone to believe me or to buy the talismans from me. There is no point in owning the amulet but not behaving well. Jatukarm Ramathep will only protect decent people, bringing them good luck," she said.
The amulets comprise a group of talismans with images of a deity and symbols dating back to the ancient Malay kingdom of Srivijaya, of which Nakhon Si Thammarat was a part.
from Bangkok Post
Story by Anucha Charoenpo
26 July 2007
Jatukham Rammathep Amulets
Woman dies in amulet crush
51-year-old trampled, many injured as thousands jostle for Chatukam charms
A 51-year-old woman was crushed to death and dozens injured yesterday when thousands of people forced their way into a technical school here to buy coupons for the sought-after Chatukam Ramthep amulets.
This prompted the Religious Affairs Department to call for safer public distribution of the famous amulets and ask the private sector to postpone distribution to prevent such tragedies re-occurring.
Thousands of people had been waiting since midnight on Sunday at three coupon-selling spots at Nakhon Si Thammarat Technical College, Rama XI Park, and Thanakhonyanwaropasuthit School to get the amulets' special edition produced by Wat Phra Nakhon.
The crowd caused a five-kilometre traffic jam in the city.
Nearly 10,000 forced their way to the coupon desk on the second floor of the technical school at about 8am. Many women and elderly people fainted and were trampled by the crowd.
Officials had to pull out the injured and found that Phuen Khongpetch, 51, had been trampled to death. She had footprints all over her body. Dozens were injured and the college gate and fence were destroyed.
At Rama XI Park, people also broke through the gate to get the coupons.
The chaos overwhelmed the 100 policemen present and caused the coupon selling to be stopped.
Many people were upset and remained at the premises in the hope the selling would resume, while some cried because they could not get coupons.
Nakhon Si Thammarat Commander Pol Maj Gen Sudjai Yanarat, who later visited the injured, said police would look into the death to find out whether Phuen had passed out or was simply knocked down in the stampede.
If it was the latter, the event organiser would be charged with recklessness causing another's death. Sudjai said the authorities would prevent such a tragedy recurring so this death would be "last of its kind".
Wat Phra Nakhon had held a similar coupon-selling event on March 16, but the chaos from people fighting over the coupons forced the temple to suspend the activity. It started selling again yesterday.
Phra Maha Maitri, abbot of Wat Phra Nakhon, said people wanting reservation coupons for the amulets consisted of three groups: those who really worshipped the talisman, those who aimed to re-sell the amulets for profit, and teenagers hired by amulet-selling businessmen at Bt500 to Bt1,000 to get the talismans so they could later boost the price and make a profit.
"The chaos resulted from the third group who were hot-headed and disrespected the rules and pushed their way in," said the monk. He said the temple was now tightly guarded by police for fear of the talismans being stolen.
Meanwhile, Religious Affairs Department director-general Preecha Kantiya, said that following the recent death and injuries, he had contacted the provincial Buddhist authorities in Nakhon Si Thammarat - which made the original Chatukam Ramthep amulets - to seek safer ways to publicly distribute them, and a proper way of making the amulets.
"The department can't stop temples from producing or giving Chatukam Ramthep amulets to the public, but we'll try to find ways of distribution because of concerns for public safety," Preecha said. He urged the private sector and organisations that produce the charms to stop distributing them until it could be done safely.
Kanok Saenprasert, a senior official at the Office of National Buddhism, said officials would oversee that temples and abbots act according to Buddhist monastic disciplines.
He said the Thai Sangha clearly stated that Buddha amulets and talismans could be made and distributed as memorial items to the public. But they should not be involved in commerce or boast about supernatural powers as a selling point.
The famous amulet is believed to have magical power that protects its holder from harm and brings good luck.
Although it has no relation to Buddhism, many Thai Buddhists believe in the amulet's power and are prepared to pay large sums for it.
The Nation
Nakhon Si Thammarat
51-year-old trampled, many injured as thousands jostle for Chatukam charms
A 51-year-old woman was crushed to death and dozens injured yesterday when thousands of people forced their way into a technical school here to buy coupons for the sought-after Chatukam Ramthep amulets.
This prompted the Religious Affairs Department to call for safer public distribution of the famous amulets and ask the private sector to postpone distribution to prevent such tragedies re-occurring.
Thousands of people had been waiting since midnight on Sunday at three coupon-selling spots at Nakhon Si Thammarat Technical College, Rama XI Park, and Thanakhonyanwaropasuthit School to get the amulets' special edition produced by Wat Phra Nakhon.
The crowd caused a five-kilometre traffic jam in the city.
Nearly 10,000 forced their way to the coupon desk on the second floor of the technical school at about 8am. Many women and elderly people fainted and were trampled by the crowd.
Officials had to pull out the injured and found that Phuen Khongpetch, 51, had been trampled to death. She had footprints all over her body. Dozens were injured and the college gate and fence were destroyed.
At Rama XI Park, people also broke through the gate to get the coupons.
The chaos overwhelmed the 100 policemen present and caused the coupon selling to be stopped.
Many people were upset and remained at the premises in the hope the selling would resume, while some cried because they could not get coupons.
Nakhon Si Thammarat Commander Pol Maj Gen Sudjai Yanarat, who later visited the injured, said police would look into the death to find out whether Phuen had passed out or was simply knocked down in the stampede.
If it was the latter, the event organiser would be charged with recklessness causing another's death. Sudjai said the authorities would prevent such a tragedy recurring so this death would be "last of its kind".
Wat Phra Nakhon had held a similar coupon-selling event on March 16, but the chaos from people fighting over the coupons forced the temple to suspend the activity. It started selling again yesterday.
Phra Maha Maitri, abbot of Wat Phra Nakhon, said people wanting reservation coupons for the amulets consisted of three groups: those who really worshipped the talisman, those who aimed to re-sell the amulets for profit, and teenagers hired by amulet-selling businessmen at Bt500 to Bt1,000 to get the talismans so they could later boost the price and make a profit.
"The chaos resulted from the third group who were hot-headed and disrespected the rules and pushed their way in," said the monk. He said the temple was now tightly guarded by police for fear of the talismans being stolen.
Meanwhile, Religious Affairs Department director-general Preecha Kantiya, said that following the recent death and injuries, he had contacted the provincial Buddhist authorities in Nakhon Si Thammarat - which made the original Chatukam Ramthep amulets - to seek safer ways to publicly distribute them, and a proper way of making the amulets.
"The department can't stop temples from producing or giving Chatukam Ramthep amulets to the public, but we'll try to find ways of distribution because of concerns for public safety," Preecha said. He urged the private sector and organisations that produce the charms to stop distributing them until it could be done safely.
Kanok Saenprasert, a senior official at the Office of National Buddhism, said officials would oversee that temples and abbots act according to Buddhist monastic disciplines.
He said the Thai Sangha clearly stated that Buddha amulets and talismans could be made and distributed as memorial items to the public. But they should not be involved in commerce or boast about supernatural powers as a selling point.
The famous amulet is believed to have magical power that protects its holder from harm and brings good luck.
Although it has no relation to Buddhism, many Thai Buddhists believe in the amulet's power and are prepared to pay large sums for it.
The Nation
Nakhon Si Thammarat
25 July 2007
Jatukam Ramathep .... Lord of the Fortune...the Rama incarnation and the Great Stupa at Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
In the past month or so, several articles have appeared in the Thai and English media concerning the phenomenal popularity of a magical talisman, promising instant wealth to those who wear one. The talisman features a divine being called Jatukam Ramathep, unknown in Buddhist or Hindu sacred literature. In order to understand, we need to get the god's name right: Jatukam Ramathep is the Thai pronunciation of the Pali Catugamaramadeva, meaning God Rama of the Four Villages. This is near nonsense as no ancient literature, Buddhist or Hindu, connects Rama to "Four Villages".
Thus the name seems to have been created out of thin air. However, the talisman is connected in the popular imagination to the Great Stupa of Nakhon Si Thammarat. According to respectable tradition preserved in an ancient document (see Wyatt, DK, "The Crystal Sands: The Chronicles of Nagara Sri Dharmmaraja", Cornell) the relics enshrined in the Great Stupa there came from Sri Lanka and the stupa was established with the assistance of traders from Sri Lanka, where Buddhism has always been protected by Hindu gods. (The evidence is in the Mahavamsa and in folk religion to this day.)
At the Great Stupa at Nakhon Si Thammarat, the stairs leading up to the circumambulatory terminate in a narrow stage with four images of gods. To the extreme left and right are two gods in brick and plaster with no attributes. However inscribed stone plaques (in apparently old lettering) announce that they are Lord Khattugama and Lord Ramadeva.
Jatukham Rammathep is two people, not one. The names are the aliases of brother princes Inthara Sairen and Inthara Khao Kheo, sons of King Jantharaphanu, who ruled the Sri Thammasokerealm, the capital of the Krung Srivijaya Kingdom (757-1257) in southern Thailand, after his father who founded it. The Sri Thammasoke realm began to degenerate as a result of their father's absence of 20 years during which he expanded his dominion to as far as eastern India. The brothers founded a new capital at Chang Khom Sirithammarat (present day Nakhon Si Thammarat), and renamed the realm Srivijaya Suvarnabhumi. Some legends say Jatukham Rammathep was another royal person living in a different era altogether, while others suggest it was a name given to King Jantharaphanu himself. But all legends - under the influence of Mahayana Buddhism which was widely observed during the period - commonly believe that whatever king or royal person the name belongs to, the right holder of the name is an Avalokitesvara, a future Buddha after numerous rebirths committed to intense self-dedication and intense sacrifice.
Long after their deaths, the two princes continue to be idealised by succeeding generations of residents of Nakhon Si Thammarat and today are remembered by their preferred names of Jatukham and Rammathep as guardian angels. The Jatukham Rammathep amulets were first produced in 1987 as part of the establishment of the province's Holy Pillar Shrine. The circular amulet, with a 5cm diameter, was priced at Bt39. Today, the amulets sell for between Bt200 and Bt500 for the basic item, and as much as Bt1,000 for amulets produced in a limited edition. The prices can soar sharply by up to 10 times when their popularity peaks after just a few months.
For example, the "Arch-Millionaire" series now trades at around Bt10,000 compared to about Bt150 when it was released in May last year. The reported highest price ever paid for a single amulet is Bt1.2 million - by a mine owner to the original owner of a 1987 charm. An unconfirmed report earlier this year said the owner of a local lingerie store in the province sold a number of the amulets for Bt3.2 million to a buyer based in the United States
Jatukham Ramathep is a guardian god of holy relics of Lord Buddha, and was engraved on the doorway at the entrance of Wat Phra Mahathat Temple in 1987 during the celebration of the City Pillar in Nakhon Si Thammarat. The legend of this deity states that he was formerly King Janthara Bhanu, the founder of Si Vijaya Kingdom and the first king of the Si Thamma SokkaratDynasty. After establishing a wealthy and strong city, he was later known as the “Black King of the Southern Sea” or “Phaya Phang Pakan”. Due to his good deeds, he became Bodhisattva, who helped relieve the hardship of mankind. The popularity of collecting Buddhist amulets is set to continue to rise as was seen last year. It is of note that antique amulets have become rarer in the market since the previous year. Among the newly-cast Phra Kruang that has been most sought-after in the market is “Jatukam Ramathep”. It could be said that this amulet series has gained greater popularity - as it is commonly seen on show at amulet trading shops - at the expense of other newly-cast Buddhist amulets. Jatukam Ramathep has been in high demand among amulet aficionados both at home and abroad, particularly in Malaysia and Singapore.
luckyplanner.com
24 July 2007
Amulets 'damage pagoda'
The overwhelming popularity of Jatukam Ramathep amulets may be damaging the Mahathat Woramahawiharn Temple's sacred pagoda.
Locals yesterday complained the pagoda had developed a lean as a result of vehicles arriving at the temple each day with the amulets.
Lorries and pickup vehicles deliver the amulets to the monastery's compound, where they are blessed in consecration rituals. The centuries-old pagoda houses Buddha relics.
"We have to do something before further damage is done," Somchoke Boonwisut, a Nakhon Si Thammarat resident, said yesterday.
Residents will ask provincial governor Wichom Thongsong to take action to halt damage to the pagoda.
Local Fine Arts Department director Banjong Wongwichien said experts were on the way to examine the pagoda. "But, for the time being, everything depends on the temple abbot," he said.
Nakhon Si Thammarat deputy governor Somsak Khamtaweeprom will have talks with abbot Phra Ratchathamsuthee ahead of any action at provincial level.
Revenue officials wanting to know how much the temple was making from the amulets yesterday visited the abbot.
Provincial police chief Maj-General Sudjai Yannarat praised residents' efforts to protect the pagoda. Officers have been sent to the temple for security.
Sudjai said many vehicles "sneak into the temple at around 3am and 4am before traffic officers are present".
Provincial public works chief Chaiyapat Siriprasert said it would be easy to determine if the pagoda was leaning but added his department was too busy to check and suggested an academic institute should help.
Krissana Jutisawaeng
The Nation
NAKHON SI THAMMARAT
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