=>> Thailand: Amulets Money

Thailand: Amulets Money

Richard S. Ehrlich
BANGKOK, Thailand. Buddhists have become obsessed with a magic amulet which resembles a rap star's bling-sized medallion, despite warnings that the circular icon is a cosmic crutch, corrupting religion and society. When a fresh batch of Jatukam Ramathep amulets went on sale in April, buyers stampeded, trampling a woman to death. Thieves have infiltrated shops, homes and temples to steal the lucrative charm.
Jatukam amulet sales may have reached 500 million U.S. dollars during the past two years, according to economists, though estimates vary because many transactions are in cash, without receipts. "Jatukam is the most popular deity in Thailand today," reported The Nation newspaper, but experts disagree over who the amulet represents. Some insist Jatukam Ramathep are the names of two princely brothers who lived in this region hundreds of years ago.Others believe Jatukam Ramathep is one person, perhaps King Chandrabhanu, who ruled much of Southeast Asia during the ancient Srivijaya kingdom. Others insist the person on the amulet is a potential Buddha, or perhaps a Hindu deity.In the center of the cookie-sized amulet, a man in traditional regalia sits in a meditative pose, left hand on his knee, and right hand held shoulder-high, palm outward. Variations can include one or two dragons behind him, or a multi-headed serpent, or a surrounding ring of Hindu deities. Medallions come in red, white, black, silver or gold. The reverse side may show a man standing, or instead display a sun or moon emitting rays, or 12 cosmological signs.Frenzy over the amulets, and concern over the purity of Thailand's Buddhism, coincide with an ongoing public debate about how Buddhists should behave, and how much financial and political power the elderly, conservative, male, saffron-robed clergy should wield. "Many high-ranking [Buddhist] monks in Bangkok are astrologers, masters of the occult arts, or entrepreneurs in the amulet industry, making Thailand one of the world's largest amulet producers," wrote Mettanando Bhikku, a Thai Buddhist monk who criticizes contradictions within the religion.

The amulet market is controlled by the Buddhists' Ecclesiastical Council in Thailand, and allows temples to gain millions of dollars, tax-free, he said."Essentially, this is a worship of spirits," lamented The Bangkok Post's assistant editor Sanitsuda Ekachai. "The Jatukam Ramathep phenomenon does not only reflect public insecurity from political uncertainties and terrorism threats, it also shows that we are basically animists."If we really need a national religion, animism should be the one. At least it can help us stop fooling ourselves that we are still Buddhists, and see who we really are," she wrote. Thailand's Supreme Patriarch, who heads this country's Buddhist clergy, announced on Sunday (April 22) he will stop providing materials from his temple to make Jatukam amulets, but declined to specify why. His temple earlier provided sacred ash from burnt incense, colored powder from bricks used in temple construction, and other Buddhist-related material to make thousands of Jatukam amulets. The Supreme Patriarch's announcement came after thieves reportedly broke into a nearby Buddhist temple on Sunday (April 22) and stole 30 Jatukam amulets, valued at about 430 U.S. dollars.Earlier, robbers in the southern region broke through an amulet stall's ceiling and escaped with Jatukam amulets priced at 5,700 U.S. dollars. Most Jatukam amulets have been made with the blessing of Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawiharn, the Supreme Patriarch's temple in southern Thailand's Nakhon Si Thammarat city. When the amulets' price recently soared, dealers throughout Thailand rushed to set up stalls next to the temple, hoping to get the newest versions.Crowds crushed a woman to death, and injured about 100 others, on April 9 when thousands of people ran toward a school in Nakhon Si Thammarat to buy the amulets. In the same town, during March, an amulet-collecting woman used her husband's 9-mm pistol to kill a man allegedly breaking into her home along with three other criminals, who fled into the night.


Another amulet collector shot dead a suspected thief in the same southern town on March 26, police said. More than 90 percent of this nation's 65 million population believe in Buddhism, a religion which emphasizes freedom from superstition, gods, and other illusions. Many Thai Buddhists, however, collect and wear various amulets which also depict famous monks, kings and other people, living or dead."I am a Buddhist and I like the Jatukam amulets because I want more luck," said businessman Somsak Sacjew in an interview on Wednesday (April 25). Mr. Somsak, 35, was buying six of the amulets, for about 5.70 U.S. dollars each, in a Bangkok shopping mall. "I am going to give them to my son and daughter, 20 years from now. I think I have more than 50 Jatukam amulets now. I don't resell them," Mr. Somsak said."Most people request the Jatukam amulets because it is good for business, good for your family, and good for your life," said Hua Pongsak, an amulet shopkeeper offering a selection priced at 20 U.S. dollars to 72 U.S. dollars each. Kanita Shi, 35, said she recently bought a Jatukam amulet for 20 U.S. dollars from Mr. Hua's shop, because she wants good luck -- even though she believes Buddha protects her and already gives her lots of luck."It is like if you already have two million dollars. It is enough, but won't you then want four million dollars?" Ms. Kanita said in an interview at the shop. "I observed my life before I bought this amulet, and compared what happened after I bought it, and I saw my business became better and my family life became better," she said. Sculptors, who create a unique mold to cast the amulet in a clay-like material, can make hundreds of U.S. dollars by designing new versions.Printers are churning out color brochures, vinyl-covered posters, and other displays to advertise the amulets. Web sites, including Uamulet.com, offer the amulets online. Clothing vendors print Jatukam's portrait on T-shirts, while metalworkers produce the amulet as a thin bronze coin. Other profiteers include producers of raw materials to make the amulets, organizers of blessing rituals, and distributors.


Jatukam also appears on "incantation cloth" -- which is usually a rectangle of inexpensive cotton, illustrated with a wood-block printed image. Temples, raking in cash by manufacturing the amulets, pump the money into the local economy by hiring construction crews to build Buddhist shrines, stupas and schools. The first Jatukam amulet was reportedly made in Nakhon Si Thammarat in 1987, to raise funds for the city's shrine. Originally selling for about one or two U.S. dollars, those early medallions now list for 2,000 to 28,000 U.S. dollars.More than 100 versions of the Jatukam amulet now appear in shops throughout Thailand, and competition among sellers is fierce. Some versions include tempting names, such as the expensive "Arch-Millionaire" and "Money Pouring In" series.

Richard S Ehrlich is a Bangkok-based journalist who has reported news from Asia since 1978 and is co-author of "Hello My Big Big Honey!", a non-fiction book of investigative journalism. He received Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism's Foreign Correspondents Award.

http://globalpolitician.com

=>> Unheard of 20 years ago, Jatukam amulets

Unheard of 20 years ago, Jatukam amulets are now selling like hot cakes. Who is this deity?

At first glance, the middle-aged businessman driving a luxury car seems to have nothing in common with the young gas station worker. On the surface, there are the obvious disparities in age, lifestyle and income, yet both have a similar preoccupation with what the future holds in store.

The businessman – we’ll call him Kamron – dresses smartly in brand-name suits, while Kai, the worker, wears jeans and a T-shirt. But neither would leave home without donning their most treasured accessory – a Jatukam amulet the size of a small coffee cup.
Jatukam is the most popular deity in Thailand today. His full name is Jatukam Ramathep and his image can be seen almost everywhere – on amulets, coins and statuettes, and even on incantation cloths.

His many devotees, ranging from the rich and famous to the poor and voiceless, believe that worshipping Jatukam guarantees them good fortune.
A decade ago, the Kingdom’s most popular deity was King Rama V. Then it became trendy to pray to Trimurati, the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, or the living Arahant (Arahat), an enlightened Buddhist monk. Two years ago, Pi Siew, a Chinese lion-like talisman, was all the rage. Now it’s the Jatukam.

Among Thailand’s Buddhist majority, the practice of dharma involves faith in self-reliance. But as human weakness is a fact of life inevitably leading to problems and stress, Thais need to believe that their fragile sides will be protected by a guardian spirit. So they invoke the help of deities who they regard as strong and benevolent.

In return, they promise to follow the path of the deity they’ve chosen.
Those who have faith in Jatukam don’t regard themselves as superstitious. His worshippers are instructed to offer him candles, joss sticks, flowers, fruits and water every day before chanting and praying for what they want.

“I worship the Jatukam deity in the way I worship the Lord Buddha and Arahants,” Kamron says. “The Jatukam deity is a bodhisattva [an enlightened one dedicated to assisting humanity]. The bodhisattva always gives his blessings and protects his followers from danger.”
Travelling frequently for business, Kamron says he was involved in four car accidents over a five-year period. But since donning the amulet he bought for Bt200,000 two years ago, he hasn’t had so much as a dent.
Kai, on the other hand, found the amulet in a specialist shop on New Year’s Day.
“It’s a miracle. I intended to spend no more than Bt1,000, but on the day I went to the shop, there was only one amulet in stock at Bt700, with the others all more than Bt3,000. I knew that the amulet was created for me.”
Kai had read up on Jatukam in the local newspapers.
“The Jatukam deity won’t help bad people. His worshippers have to at least practise the five Buddhist precepts. And the deity won’t help us if we ask for things that we can’t afford or things that aren’t moral. I hope to buy a small house for my family and I believe the Jatukam deity will help me,” he says.
The 400 or so different Jatukam amulets, coins, statuettes and incantation cloths currently available have prices ranging from Bt40 (for fakes) to Bt2 million. The first amulet, made in 1987, cost less than Bt100 – it’s now worth between Bt500,000 and Bt600,000. Today, the most expensive amulets cost between
Bt1.5 million and
Bt2 million apiece.

The talismans are made in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla and Ayutthaya by laymen and Buddhist monks.
In Nakhon Si Thammarat the Jatukam is big business, with almost every Buddhist temple and even schools purporting to sell amulets for charity. Posters and billboards advertise the talismans and every local is expected to be an expert on the deity.

And while it’s true that the idea to produce Jatukam amulets and coins stems from a group of worshippers in Nakhon Si Thammarat, there are some different views on the deity’s origins.
In 1987, mediums recommended that a new lak muang (city pole) be commissioned as the old pole had lost its protective aura. The late Pol Maj Gen Khun Pantarakrachadej, a veteran police officer famed for his knowledge of the occult, (it’s rumoured he arrested criminals through magical powers), suggested that the warning through the mediums came from the spirit of the former ruler of the Srivijaya kingdom, King Chandrabhanu, otherwise known as Jatukam Ramathep.

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; sometimes he has a seven-headed serpent behind him.

The black Pangpagan is shown seated cross-legged with his hands raised to cover his eyes, and flanked by serpents. Rahu can be recognised as a demon’s head.
Other symbols on Jatukam talismans include the sun and the moon, the animal signs representing the 12-year cycle and symbols of old Nakhon Si Thammarat’s 12 cities.

Not everyone agrees, however, that the Jatukam deity’s true identity is the Chandrabhanu bodhisattava. Some locals believe that the Jatukam is the guardian of the Maha That (the remains of Lord Buddha) in Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Maha That Temple, built around 854 CE.

According to ancient beliefs, Maha That was the sacred centre of both the city and the universe.
Two statues of the deity, with names engraved at their bases, stand at the entrance of the Maha That pagoda: Tao Katukam at the west gate and Tao Ramathep at the east gate, while the head of Jatukam decorates the top of the new city pole.

Some Nakhon Si Thammarat natives say the Jatukam deity is none other than Tao Katukam and Tao Ramathep, probably the Hindu gods Brahma and Vishnu who were worshipped in the city in ancient times.

But for today’s Jatukam worshippers, the ancient history is probably irrelevant. They’re more interested in the “quick fix” that’s become associated with their chosen deity’s name.
And no doubt they will go on collecting these expensive talismans until Jatukam falls from favour, only to be replaced by a new, trendier deity.

Nithinand Yorsaengrat
The Nation

=>> The tourists to Nakhon Si Thammarat

The tourists may be flocking to Nakhon Si Thammarat for Jatukam amulets, but the province has so much more to offer, writes Nattaporn Luangpipat.


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

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/

=>> BUDDHA VDO

=>> JATUKARM RAMATEP AMULETS OF THAILAND

History.,Jatukarm Ramatep

Once upon a time, many centuries ago (about 1700 years ago), it was a time of war and trouble. There lived a king and his princes in Central Siam. The elder prince named Jatukam and the other named Ramathep. After many years of war, the King finally conquered and managed to secure Sri Lanka into part of his Kingdom. There was a saying that the King possessed a sacred treasure, this was none other than the holy relics of Lord Buddha. Before the King began his journey to the newly conquered land, he tasked the protection of the relics to his two princes, & ordered them to guard it with their lives.Some time later, the princes received information of plan by their enemies to capture the relics. They immediately informed the King in Sri Lanka. The King instruction was to quickly take the relics away by sea and head to Sri Lanka. Halfway through the journey, a thunderstorm struck and their ships were sunken. Except the two princes, the rest of the crew did not survive.The two princes were washed ashore, but well. Without the sea transport, they could no longer bring the relics to Sri Lanka. They started praying sincerely to the relics, saying: “Dear Enlightened One! If this land we step upon is a holy piece of land, then please guide us let us live a new life here. With our people, we shall guard and protected your relics forever.”Later the two princes built a temple on this holy land and with much hard work, they also establish a wealthy and strong city. They brought new hope and peace to all the people. In remembrance of the great deeds by the two princes, they named this place Nakhon Si Thammarat in their honour.

This is now located at Southern of Thailand at the present time. The temple that the two princes built for the relics is called Wat Mahathat - as it is known now.Ever since then, after a few centuries, many people had travelled to Wat Mahathat to locate the relics that were buried by the princes. Finally, they found a stone carving and the relics buried at the Wat. The stories of the two princes were found engraved on this stone.The two princes had done many great deeds and the greatest is by erecting the temple to house the relics. And they promised to guard the Relics with their lives. They had earned respect from both the heavenly and earthly beings. Later, the people combined the two princes into one and named him Tao Jatukam Ramathep when praying to him. Tao Jatukam Ramathep becomes one of the most respected and popular deities in the South of Thailand. In olden days, Tao was used to address noble ones. It is believed that those that pray to Tao Jatukam Ramathep will be blessed with fulfilling life and better in all aspects in everyday work.

Khun Pantarakrachadej

The police general came a third time, and the second medium claimed to be yet another spirit - Jatukam, who instructed him to lead the construction of a city pillar. However, the spirit advised him that first he should consult with Police Maj Gen Khun Pantarakrachadej (also known as Ajarn Khun Phan), who was thought to be a master of Buddhist magical arts (Puttakom). This is believed by some to be the reason why Jatukam Ramathep was chosen to be a model for the amulet images when the campaign to raise funds for the city pillar was launched. The city pillar was partly completed in 1987, and the original Jatukam amulets were made in 1986. It was circular pendant a five-centimetres in diameter, and was priced at 49 baht. Now many are sold for more than 100,000 baht each. In the past only very few Jatukam amulets were produced, but after Police Maj Gen Khun Pantarakrachadej (Khun Phan) passed away recently at the age of 103 (some say 108), the amulets again became very popular. It may be significant that his death on Sep 5th 2006 was just two weeks before the military coup in Bangkok. Since the royal cremation ceremony of Khun Phan last February, Jatukam amulets have become even more popular. But how long can the craze last?
.......................................................................................................
An unprecedented phenomena By METTANANDO BHIKKHU, Bangkok Post, May 5, 2007

Bangkok, Thailand -- It is about a quarter of an inch thick, in the shape of a medallion slightly smaller than a saucer, with the figure of a god seated with uplifted right knee in a casual yoga position. Usually, believers wear the talisman around the neck. In spite of its mysterious origins, the popularity of this talisman is unprecedented and has taken most Thai people by surprise.
The Jatukham Rammathep amulet .

Two years ago, almost no one in Thailand had heard anything about it, but now everybody knows about the talisman. The popularity of this kind of amulet has been beyond expectations. For nearly a year this talisman has dominated the amulet market in Thailand, breaking all sales records in the entire history of Buddhist amulets. Currently, the estimated value of this particular variety of amulet is over one trillion baht, more than any kind of amulet ever sold in this country or elsewhere in the world.

The name of this talisman is Jatukarm Ramathep.How has this mysterious talisman become so popular? Is it Buddhist or some form of an occult art? Why is it so popular? Is it going to transform spirituality in Thailand, or does it reflect something else quite decadent? And how is it going to end? These are the questions raised by most concerned thinkers.

Thailand is known as the largest market for amulets. Each year several classes and types of amulets are produced and commercialised by numerous producers and investors, most of whom have links with famous monks and masters of meditation. This fact, however, cannot be generalised to include other Theravada Buddhist countries like Sri Lanka and Burma, where Buddhists adhere to a more faithful interpretation of the precepts and teachings of the Lord Buddha. Although Sinhalese and Burmese Buddhists share the same belief in the Lord Buddha and the power of the Triple Gems, i.e. the highest refuge in the Buddhist religion: the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, they do not agree with the belief commonly held among Thai Buddhists that an empowered, portable icon of the Buddha or a god can remain powerful once it is associated with the defiled human physique.

When a Burmese or Sinhalese Buddhist is presented with such a religious icon as a present, which is a common tradition in Thailand, they would prefer to keep the object in their personal shrine at home or in a temple and not carry it around, fearing that the power of the sacred object would be defiled and drained away through contact with the human body. Any trading of Buddha icons and amulets would be quite unthinkable there. Traditionally in Theravada countries, portable amulets are popular in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. But it is only in Thailand that the industry has grown to mammoth proportions.

Formerly in Thailand, Buddhist amulets were not traded; they were gifts, offered by monks and meditation masters to their disciples. Amulets were also produced en masse, but they were commonly enshrined in a pagoda and were not for sale on the market.
It was the crisis of the Indochina War between Thailand and France in 1941 that gave birth to the amulet market, as many soldiers and volunteer recruits sought the power of protection and invulnerability in battle. After the war, the demand for amulets (boosted by stories of their miraculous powers of protection) persisted and even extended to include all kinds of portable sacred objects. Over the past 50 years the market has grown hand-in-hand with capitalism in Thailand.

Nevertheless, Thai Buddhists still hesitate to use the word ''buy'' when purchasing amulets. They simply used the word chaow, which literally means ''to rent'', when they actually buy the object from dealers. Marketed amulets in Thailand are not necessarily Buddhist. Very often they are produced by famous masters of meditation or even by those claiming to have magical powers. Most amulets are empowered by mantras in the Pali language based on the belief that it was the language of the Buddha, or are inscribed with the ancient Khmer alphabet. These sacred objects come in many shapes; some popular amulets are folded, small


metallic tubes inscribed with sacred mantras, called trakrut; some are shaped like the phallus, inherited from ancient Shivaism of

India via Cambodia; some are made from different kinds of utensils, including knives with their blades inscribed with sacred mantras, etc.

The diversity of these spiritual placebos shows another nature of the amulet market in Thailand, which is highly flexible and adaptive, ready to comply with any new emerging demand in society.
Similar to most industries in Thailand, the amulet industry is controlled by a few business tycoons through the use of the media for market manipulation. Usually, they use journals or magazines which are beautifully printed in full colour on shining, glossy paper where each amulet is splendidly presented as empowered by special rituals of the famous ritual masters. Generally these publications come with registration forms or telephone numbers for customers and, more recently, with website information for those interested in pre-paying for their spiritual merchandise.

The prices of the amulets are determined by their demand and supply, like all other commodities. In the case of these spiritual placebos, stories of miracles, anecdotes and luck brought about by these amulets have been the driving force behind their demand.
Amulets are not treated as antiques, therefore old ones do not necessarily fetch a higher price than newer models. New amulets which come with the assurance of miracles as related by reliable sources can be much more expensive than old ones.

The media in Thailand has been an excellent source of information for such sacred objects and as a result, Thai ears have always been eager to listen to any exciting new miracle regarding sacred objects. Once the supply of a particular type of amulet has satisfied its market, the investors slow down its production and promote other new products.

This is how the business of Buddhist spiritual placebos is conducted. There is a samsara of amulets in Thailand which is closely monitored and influenced by Buddhist tycoons; surprisingly, some of them are high-ranking monks. The profits generated by this lucrative industry are tax-free, as they are related to monks and the Buddhist religion.

The Jatukarm Ramathep is, however, a special case as it is not directly related to the sacred Triple Gems. From its very name, it is a pair of twin gods, the guardians of the Phra Dhaat(u) of Nagor Sri Dharma Raj, the largest and most sacred pagoda of Nakhon Si Thammarat province in southern Thailand. The first generation of the amulet of this god(s) was produced for the first time three decades ago. But for some unknown reason, the twin gods were cast in the shape of one god with a demonic appearance. It was not a god in Buddhism, but rather a demon with many arms surrounded by eight other demons or Rahu (Asura).

Seemingly, the amulet was originally made as a source of power rather than to serve as a Buddhist icon of virtue. For a long time, the market did not welcome this amulet, but it acquired a legend that clearly associates it with protection against harm from weapons and accidents.
The reason behind the rise in popularity of this talisman is without doubt the series of bad news concerning terrorist activities in the three southernmost provinces For over three years, Thai people have been worried about the violence in this Muslim-dominated area, especially people living in neighbouring provinces. Once a bomb exploded at the airport in Songkhla, a city next door to Nakhon Si Thammarat; it killed and maimed many innocent people. Insecurity and uncertainty were the major driving forces behind the demand of a new kind of amulet that could assure security and invulnerability to its owners.

The ongoing political turmoil led by the corruption scandals of Thaksin Shinawatra and the worsening economic atmosphere were behind the second wave of demand. This is witnessed in the names of the various classes of Jatukarm Ramathep, which are mostly related to wealth and financial magnetism, such as ''Roon Ngern Lai Ma'' (The Money-Flowing-In Class) or ''Roon Khoatr Sethi'' (Super-Millionaire Class), to name a few.

In April, Thailand saw another development in the cult of Jatukarm: songs and lyrics were composed in praise of Jatukarm Ramathep and became available on the market. No amulet in the past has had such an impact on Thai society. Without doubt, these songs will perpetuate the ongoing demand for this type of spiritual placebo, which is now being produced in different shapes and forms.

In this spiritual industry, the success of a single investor becomes a strong incentive for many new faces. A 35-year-old monk of Nakhon Si Thammarat who gained over 150 million baht in February from selling Jatukarm amulets has been an inspiration for many abbots and investors to launch several classes of this amulet. As a result, hundreds of temples in the South are now dedicatedly commercialising on this talisman. The cult has already spread to Chiang Mai and other provinces.

For educated Buddhists, the rise in popularity of this talisman is a bad omen for the religion. It is clear that the Lord Buddha never taught his followers to take refuge in any material object, portable or stationary alike. Buddhism was for self-empowerment and spiritual development through the cultivation of morality, meditation and wisdom. The icon of the gods is a clear paradigm shift from the Buddha as the ultimate refuge, to the local twin-god guardians of a pagoda. Apparently, Buddhists in Thailand have forgotten the true message of the Lord Buddha and they have taken refuge in things the Buddha told them not to.

As long as the political situation in Thailand does not stabilise, with bad news of social unrest in the deep South continuing to haunt the Thais, it is predictable that Jatukarm Ramathep will remain popular. Thai society is going to see more and more of this type of talisman, and the truth of the Buddha's teachings will remain completely ignored.
Honestly speaking, greed took over the conscience of these abbots of major temples all over Thailand, long before the rise of this amulet.