The amulet trade:
Social benefits and costs in Nakhon Si Thammarat
By Jon Fernquest[Introduction|Vocabulary|Article]
[Reading Questions|Answers]
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If you're curious about the skyrocketing business of buying and selling Jatukam amulets in Thailand, today's article provides essential information about the growing amulet trade.
The article also examines the costs and benefits of this trade. (The photo on the right is a former janitor who is now an independent amulet vendor)
For further reading, check out previous Bangkok Post articles on the amulet trade.
Reading Questions
Here are some questions to guide your reading (See answers at end):1. Where is the center of activity in the current Jatukam amulet craze?
2. What are some of the benefits of the Jatukam amulet craze?
3. What do statistics from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) seem to reveal about the effect of the Jatukam amulet trade on the drug trade?
4. Could there be other factors involved in the changes in Nakhon Si Thammarat's drug trade over the last six months? For instance, martial law under the coup. (Express opinion)
5. What kind of crime has increased with the rise of the amulet trade?
6. What controversies over profiting from amulet sales have arisen recently?
7. If you took a trip to Nakhon Si Thammarat, where would you go to shop for amulets? Why?
8. How cheap can you buy a Jatukam amulet for?
9. What is it in an amulet's production that really adds value to it? Can you find this in cheaper amulets?
10. Is it easy to determine whether a Jatukam amulet has actually passed through the necessary sacred rituals?
11. What are three examples of strange materials that are used to make Jatukam amulets?
12. Are the claims made by vendors about the origins of exotic materials used in their Jatukam amulets always correct? (Express your opinion)
13. What is the most important place for performing the sacred Jatukam amulet rituals?
14. If someone offered you a cheap 70 baht amulet and claimed that it had been consecrated at Pra Mahathat Voramahaviharn temple in Nakhon Si Thammarat would you believe them? (Express your opinion)
15. What impacts (negative or positive) has the amulet craze had on people who are serious students and practioners of Buddhism at Pra Mahathat Voramahaviharn temple?
16. What other places around Nakhon Si Thammarat (besides Pra Mahathat Voramahaviharn) are popular for consecration ceremonies?
17. What are some examples of people who have benefited from the great interest in Jatukam amulets?
18. How can the Jatukam amulet trade sometimes resemble gambling?
19. Are new models cheaper or more expensive than older models?
20. How can the Jatukam amulet craze sometimes lead to important issues and work being neglected, according to the author?
21. What negative effects on Buddhism are some educators worried about?
Bangkok Post Article May 20, 2007
AMULET SENDS MIXED BLESSING
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While Jatukam may have brought fortune to some, the majority of people in Nakhon Si Thammarat are still lacking in basic necessities. — NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
The Jatukam talisman craze and related businesses have injected a stimulant into Nakhon Si Thammarat's economic growth, but at what cost, asks SUPARA JANCHITFAH
On the surface, it seems that the booming trade in Jatukam talismans in Nakhon Si Thammarat (NST) is a completely positive development for the province. When one looks deeper, however, it becomes apparent that there is a downside to being ground zero for the phenomenon that has taken Thailand by storm.
The abrupt success of Jatukam-related businesses has translated into jobs and prosperity for many people. Locals commonly observe that the amphetamine trade in the province is not as widespread as before. This is in line with statistics from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) which reveal that in October of last year there were 121 drug cases in NST province. Six months later, in March, the number of cases had drastically declined to only four (see graphic).
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On the other hand, reports on crimes such as theft, often involving Jatukam, are on the increase in the province, as a quick glance at local newspapers attests. This might be related to the high demand for some Jatukam models.
Many locals are also worried that some people in the Jatukam trade do their business in dishonest ways. "I met one of my students who purchased imitation Jatukam that cost him around 100 baht for three images. He said he sells them for 800 baht each in Bangkok," said a teacher at a secondary school.
"I asked him, don't you think this is a sinful act? He told me that he was just satisfying the needs of those buyers who want to get special models at a low price," he added.
Moreover, there are a number of reports that some vendors have run away with money from buyers who paid in advance for yet-to-be released models, using forged advance reservation books. The fake agencies do not show up on the appointed days to give buyers the talismans.
Distinguishing Jatukams
The Wat Wang Tawan Tok area of NST, long an area for buying and selling amulets, has turned into a paradise for those who want to buy sought-after models of Jatukam priced from 70 to 100 baht each. Priced this low, it is doubtful they have passed through the sacred ritual, which, along with the materials used to produce them, distinguishes the "real from the fake" images. Reportedly, only a skilled eye can tell the difference.
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Vendors were also close-mouthed about how and where they obtained the Jatukam.
If only people paid attention to the materials which are purportedly incorporated into certain models of Jatukam, they would likely question how they could be obtained.
Brochures and leaflets promoting various Jatukam models list the components. For example, one model claims to use bits of earth surrounding the burial site of the placental material and umbilical cord of Luang Por Tuod (Wat Chang Hai, Pattani), who is said to have passed away 425 years ago. When Perspective tried to contact persons in charge of the production of this amulet at Wat Mahayong in NST to ask about the claim, a monk deferred the question to some people at a downtown centre. When these people were tracked down, they also failed to provide any information on how they were able to find the place where the placenta was buried.
On reflection, it would seem that many of the materials might be quite hard to secure, such as soils from places mentioned in the chronicle of the Lord Buddha's journeys in India and Nepal. Some Jatukam models are even claimed to contain leaves of Sara trees in Kushinagar, the place where the Lord Buddha attained paranirvana.
The agencies responsible for obtaining the materials claim they are able to get them by sending people to India and Nepal, but they do not want to be named in newspapers.
The sacred rituals are usually performed at various temples. Some models advertise that the ritual is performed on multiple occasions - three, five, seven, up to nine times - on particular Jatukam. Most models perform the ritual, at least once, at Pra Mahathat Voramahaviharn temple, the main temple in Nakhon Si Thammarat, which is fully booked until the end of this year.
The rituals have certainly interrupted the normal schedule of those who wish to study and practise Dharma. One nun and her followers had to move their classes from the main Vihara of the temple to a kitchen. "There are a lot of noises since the temple became the venue of sacred rituals for Jatukam," said the nun.
The rituals for some models are held on mountaintops which are considered sacred, or the "umbilical cord of the sea", reportedly at the mouth of the Nakhon Si Thammarat sea located in Pak Phanang district.
There are a number of monks, shamans and Brahmans whose presence is highly prized at these rituals. Some producers say they have to put a large amount of money into an envelope for each of these holy men.
WHAT IF MARKET SHRINKS?
The Jatukam-related business provides income not only for the buyers and sellers, but also for the workers and artisans who make the talismans and paint them with gold or silver. The financial boon is distributed to other provinces such as Bangkok and Nakhon Pathom, as there are not enough factories in NST to mould them. Work is even contracted out as far as a ceramics factory in France.
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Though the financial benefits are clear for some, others seem to get locked into a cycle similar to that of the chronic gambler, devoting their small incomes to speculative purchases of Jatukam which may or may not pay off.
Jatukam and related products are everywhere inside and outside many major temples in Nakhon Si Thammarat, providing income for many vendors.
"I pity some low income people in my area. Some of them do not have enough rice to eat, but yet they keep buying Jatukam. They want to get rich, that's why they keep purchasing," said Tambon Administration Organisation (TAO) member Jaroon Mankong of Pak Phang Tawan-ook subdistrict.
He is afraid that the market will shrink in the future. "If they cannot sell whatever they have stocked, what will happen?" he asked.
Locals often have many sets of Jatukam on display in their homes, but they do not show them all. They hide them away, out of fear of being robbed. Some have their Jatukam stored in lockers at local banks.
Other locals, like Chareon Maharat of Chiang Yai district, approve of wearing Jatukam but are not interested in speculating on them. "I think it's good to have one, but not too many," he said.
He suggested that people should not buy the Jatukam that have already been released into the market.
"It is better for you to wait to order new models. They are cheaper than those already released," he said, adding that a good Jatukam talisman could be judged from the materials used, the sacred ritual performed and who performed it. He named some trusted persons and temples.
O-sod Suwansavek, who works at Nakhon Si Thammarat hospital, agreed that people should not collect too many Jatukam. He said it is important to consider the objectives in making the talisman.
"You know, it is quite hard for some temples to get their work done if they have to wait for the Katin (merit-making ceremony) and other donations. Producing Jatukam helps some temples achieve their goals in construction and other projects faster," said O-sod. He is aware that some temples don't get big sums of money after producing Jatukam.
A possible disadvantage to the whole Jatukam craze is that it seems to be taking the focus off of important issues. Government employees such as teachers and officials at provincial hall devote a great deal of their attention to Jatukam. Many schools, universities, as well as the Provincial Court, are producing Jatukam as part of their fund raising campaigns.
While this may be considered rather unorthodox by some, these state-associated Jatukam producers try to keep things in perspective. Said Walailak University Rector, Assoc Prof Dr Thai Tipsuwankul: "We don't commercialise Buddhism, we produce just enough for those who donate money to our campaigns to educate medical students and supply equipment for medical research. The university's committee suggested that we produce Jatukam as a token of appreciation to donors."
This is the 2nd of a two-part series on the Jatukam amulet phenomenon.
Vocabulary (in discussion above)
a blessing - something good that happened to you (so you are grateful)
a mixed blessing - something both good and bad that happened to you
sends a mixed blessing - has both good and bad effects
basic necessities - the things that every person needs to live (food, clothing, shelter)
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) - (See website and Wikipedia)
a Jatukam - a Jatukarm Ramathep talisman
Jatukarm Ramathep talisman - a very popular amulet (Read a history of the amulet and visit www.jatukarm-ramathep.com)
a talisman - an amulet, an object believed to have magical or supernatural powers of protection or luck
an amulet - an object that protects a person from trouble, usually worn around the neck on a chain (See Wikipedia on amulets and supernatural magic)
the majority of people in x - more than 50% of the people in place x
Nakhon Si Thammarat - a large city in southern city, the current center of the Jatukam amulet craze (See Wikipedia)
a craze for x - x is very popular for a very short time, a fad
injected a stimulant into x - stimulated activity in x
becomes apparent that - becomes easy to see that
a downside - a negative side or aspect of
ground zero - the place where most damage occurs in a nuclear bomb blast
a phenomenon -
take by storm - to be suddenly and extremely successful
Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) - (See website, background, and Narcotics Control Laws)
seems plausible that x - x is possible or likely
yet-to-be - not yet
yet-to-be released models - versions of a product that cannot be purchased yet
forge - make a fake (to look like the real thing)
distinguishing - identifying differences between different types
distinguishing amulets - identifying differences that make an amulet valuable
Wat Wang Tawan Tok - a temple in the city of Nakhon Si Thammarat opposite Wang Tawan Ok (Eastern Palace), "the retreat of Chao Chom Prang. Formerly a park, Chao Phraya Nakhon (Noi) donated Wang Tawan Ok and the park opposite it to a temple, now known as Wat Wang Tawan Tok (Western Palace Temple). In 1888, Phra Khru Kachat (Yong) and his disciples built a group of houses for monks. The 3 houses have a pointed roof connected to the other and there are exquisite Nakhon Si Thammarat designs on the walls, doors, windows, and vents. The Siam Architects Society named these houses the best conservation effort in the area of historical sites and temples in 1992." (Source)
consecrate (verb), consecration (noun) - officially declare to be holy
passed through the sacred ritual - had the consecration ritual performed on it
close-mouthed about - will not say anything about
purportedly x - supposedly x, people believe x to be true (but x may not be true)
x incorporated into y - x made part of y
components - parts
a placenta, placental material, after-birth - a sack that protects and nourishes a baby when it is inside his mother (See Wikipedia)
umbilical cord - the cord that connects the growing baby inside his mother to his mother (connects embryo or foetus in womb to mother) (See Wikipedia)
tracked down - looked for and found
leaves of Sara trees in Kushinagar - (See Wikipedia on Kushinagar town and Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India)
paranirvana, parinirvana - the highest form of nirvana (See Wikipedia on parinirvana and Mahaparinibanna Sutta):
"...the final nirvana, usually understood to be within reach only upon the death of the body of someone who has attained complete awakening (bodhi). It is the ultimate goal of Buddhist practice and implies a release from the cycle of deaths and rebirths as well as the dissolution of all worldly physical and mental aggregates or skandhas (form, feeling, perception, mental fabrications and consciousness)."
Pra Mahathat Voramahaviharn temple - (See Wikipedia)
fully booked - full schedule, no time slots remain, reservations for all possible times are already taken
a venue - the place where an event or activity happens (for example, Queen Sirrikhit Center was the venue for the annual book show)
shamans, shamanism - "a range of traditional beliefs and practices concerned with communication with the spirit world, mostly animal spirits. There are many variations in shamanism throughout the world" (See Wikipedia)
Brahmans - people at the royal courts of Thai and Burmese kings who had knowledge of Indian written traditions ranging from Kingship (Arthasastra) to augury or fortune telling (See Wikipedia on Arthasastra)
artisans - skilled craftsmen, people who make native Thai handicrafts like baskets, wood carving, or weaving cloth
a boon - helpful and improving quality of life
a financial boon - helping you to make money
skyrocketed - go up very quickly
the fragrant Teptaro wood - (See OTOP website for photos)
chronic - over a long period of time (Opposite: acute)
a chronic gambler - a person who has had the bad habit of gambling for a long time
speculative - uncertain, based on guessing
* speculative purchases
Tambon Administration Organisation (TAO) - (See academic paper describing TAOs)
Katin - merit-making ceremony
as a token of appreciation to - a gift given to someone to thank them for what they did
speculative asset price bubble - high volume trade of assets (real estate, stocks...maybe amulets) at prices above their true value (See glossary and Wikipedia on economic bubble and Japanese asset price bubble)
ceteribus paribus - means "holding other things constant" or "all other things being equal" , in economics to find the effect of one thing, you have to make sure other things aren't changing at the same time (See Wikipedia)
Answer Key:
1. Where is the center of activity in the current Jatukam amulet craze?
Nakhon Si Thammarat in southern Thailand.
2. What are some of the benefits of the Jatukam amulet craze?
a. Decline in the number of drug cases in Nakhon Si Thammarat
b. New jobs.
c. New businesses producing and selling amulets (a stimulus to economic growth)
("Jatukam and related products are everywhere inside and outside many major temples in Nakhon Si Thammarat, providing income for many vendors.")
3. What do statistics from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) seem to reveal about the effect of the Jatukam amulet trade on the drug trade?
Over the six months from October, 2006 to March, 2007 the number of drug cases has dropped from 121 cases to 4.
This might indicate that there has been "a switch from amphetamine trafficking to the legal marketing of Jatukam."
4. Could there be other factors involved in the changes in Nakhon Si Thammarat's drug trade over the last six months? For instance, martial law under the coup. (Express opinion)
Claiming that the amulet trade had an effect on the drug trade assumes that everything else remains the same. This is called a ceteribus paribus assumption in economics.
The post-coup period has seen changes in many aspects of life in Thailand, these have to be taken into account to determine whether the amulet trade has had a positive effect on the drug trade.
5. What kind of crime has increased with the rise of the amulet trade?
Theft has increased possibly because thieves are trying to obtain amulets.
6. What controversies over profiting from amulet sales have arisen recently?
a. Some buyers run away with money customers pay in advance.
b. Buying and reselling an amulet for a profit is seen to be "sinful" to some. (See quote below)
("Many locals are also worried that some people in the Jatukam trade do their business in dishonest ways. 'I met one of my students who purchased imitation Jatukam that cost him around 100 baht for three images. He said he sells them for 800 baht each in Bangkok,' said a teacher at a secondary school.
'I asked him, don't you think this is a sinful act? He told me that he was just satisfying the needs of those buyers who want to get special models at a low price,' he added.)
7. If you took a trip to Nakhon Si Thammarat, where would you go to shop for amulets? Why?
The Wat Wang Tawan Tok area of Nakhon Si Thammarat is an area with shops and vendors that specialise in buying and selling amulets.
("The Wat Wang Tawan Tok area of NST, long an area for buying and selling amulets, has turned into a paradise for those who want to buy sought-after models of Jatukam priced from 70 to 100 baht each.
8. How cheap can you buy a Jatukam amulet for?
For as low as 70 to 100 baht.
9. What is it in an amulet's production that really adds value to it? Can you find this in cheaper amulets?
a. Passing through sacred rituals.
b. The use of special materials in production.
You're unlikely to find these things in cheaper amulets.
("...priced from 70 to 100 baht each. Priced this low, it is doubtful they have passed through the sacred ritual, which, along with the materials used to produce them, distinguishes the "real from the fake" images. Reportedly, only a skilled eye can tell the difference.")
10. Is it easy to determine whether a Jatukam amulet has actually passed through the necessary sacred rituals?
No, locals know but vendors are "close-mouthed about how and where they obtained the Jatukam."
11. What are three examples of strange materials that are used to make Jatukam amulets?
Some Jatukam amulets use:
a. "...bits of earth surrounding the burial site of the placental material and umbilical cord of Luang Por Tuod (Wat Chang Hai, Pattani), who is said to have passed away 425 years ago."
b. "....soils from places mentioned in the chronicle of the Lord Buddha's journeys in India and Nepal.
c. "...leaves of Sara trees in Kushinagar, the place where the Lord Buddha attained paranirvana."
12. Are the claims made by vendors about the origins of exotic materials used in their Jatukam amulets always correct? (Express your opinion)
The article clearly implies that the refusal of vendors to reveal or verify the sources of their material may well indicate that they might not be telling the truth, that they might not be trustworthy.
Their refusal to provide information might also indicate protection of proprietary secrets. If they revealed these secrets people would know how to do what they do and they would take away their business.
("When Perspective tried to contact persons in charge of the production of this amulet at Wat Mahayong in NST to ask about the claim, a monk deferred the question to some people at a downtown centre. When these people were tracked down, they also failed to provide any information on how they were able to find the place where the placenta was buried....The agencies responsible for obtaining the materials claim they are able to get them by sending people to India and Nepal, but they do not want to be named in newspapers.")
13. What is the most important place for performing the sacred Jatukam amulet rituals?
Pra Mahathat Voramahaviharn temple which is "the main temple in Nakhon Si Thammarat."
14. If someone offered you a cheap 70 baht amulet and claimed that it had been consecrated at Pra Mahathat Voramahaviharn temple in Nakhon Si Thammarat would you believe them? (Express your opinion)
I probably wouldn't believe them since the temple is fully booked until the end of this year for consecration ceremonies.
If consecration ceremonies are in short supply, the price of consecrated amulets would rise. Since 70 baht is about the cheapest amulet one can buy, it is not likely to have been consecrated.
15. What impacts (negative or positive) has the amulet craze had on people who are serious students and practioners of Buddhism at Pra Mahathat Voramahaviharn temple?
Positive: Fees for consecrating amulets may keep the buildings and facilities of the temple in good repair as well as adding new facilities.
Negative: There are distracting noises and they can no longer meet in the center of the temple which is devoted to consecration rituals.
("Producing Jatukam helps some temples achieve their goals in construction and other projects faster," said O-sod. He is aware that some temples don't get big sums of money after producing Jatukam.")
16. What other places around Nakhon Si Thammarat (besides Pra Mahathat Voramahaviharn) are popular for consecration ceremonies?
a. Some mountaintops are considered sacred.
b. The "umbilical cord of the sea" at the mouth of the Nakhon Si Thammarat sea located in Pak Phanang district is considered sacred.
17. What are some examples of people who have benefited from the great interest in Jatukam amulets?
a. Buyers and sellers.
b. Artisans.
c. Success stories such as the "former janitor-turned-talisman vendor whose income has skyrocketed."
d. The energies of young people have sometimes been redirected in positive ways:
"Young people who used to spend their time riding their motorcycle in a dangerous manner now occupy themselves with packing and painting the talismans, selling T-shirts with the images of popular models, working at the factories, etc. Many venture into the forest to find materials for making the talismans, such as eaglewood, wild jasmine and so on."
18. How can the Jatukam amulet trade sometimes resemble gambling?
Speculation (especially speculation by poor people who cannot afford to speculate) resembles gambling since they may buy expecting the price of Jatukam amulets to rise forever, but one day prices may fall rapidly as they usually do in speculative bubbles.
("Though the financial benefits are clear for some, others seem to get locked into a cycle similar to that of the chronic gambler, devoting their small incomes to speculative purchases of Jatukam which may or may not pay off...
"I pity some low income people in my area. Some of them do not have enough rice to eat, but yet they keep buying Jatukam. They want to get rich, that's why they keep purchasing," said Tambon Administration Organisation (TAO) member Jaroon Mankong of Pak Phang Tawan-ook subdistrict.
"He is afraid that the market will shrink in the future. "If they cannot sell whatever they have stocked, what will happen?" he asked.")
19. Are new models cheaper or more expensive than older models?
Older models are usually more expensive.
("It is better for you to wait to order new models. They are cheaper than those already released," he said, adding that a good Jatukam talisman could be judged from the materials used, the sacred ritual performed and who performed it. He named some trusted persons and temples.")
20. How can the Jatukam amulet craze sometimes lead to important issues and work being neglected, according to the author?
Teachers and government officials are somtimes devoting more time to Jatukam amulets than they are to important issues, according to the author.
("A possible disadvantage to the whole Jatukam craze is that it seems to be taking the focus off of important issues. Government employees such as teachers and officials at provincial hall devote a great deal of their attention to Jatukam. Many schools, universities, as well as the Provincial Court, are producing Jatukam as part of their fund raising campaigns.")
21. What negative effects on Buddhism are some educators worried about?
Some educators are worried that the amulet trade "commercializes Buddhism."
("We don't commercialise Buddhism, we produce just enough for those who donate money to our campaigns to educate medical students and supply equipment for medical research. The university's committee suggested that we produce Jatukam as a token of appreciation to donors.")
