Buddhism:Amulet Manure

[GWR]

Related thread:

http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bang...ead.php?t=2251

[GWR]

http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bang...ead.php?t=2296

[GWR]

I'm a bit doubtful about the use of the verb 'to stampede' here:

Woman killed, over 30 injured in stampede stemmed from fight for Jatukham

Nakhon Si Thammarat - A woman was stampeded to death and 30 others were injured after thousands of people forced their way to buy coupon to receive "Jatukham Ramthep" amulets in a technical school of the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Thousands people had been waiting since midnight Sunday at three coupon-selling spots at Nakhon Si Thammarat Technical College, Rama XI park, and Thanakhonyanwaropasuthit School to get the amulet's special edition called "Ngern Lai Ma 2" produced by Wat Phra Nakhon.

At the techinal school, nearly 10,000 forced their way into the coupon desk at 8 am, causing Pheun Khongpetch, 51, to pass out and be stampeded by the crowd while other 30 were slightly injured.

The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/brea...ewsid=30031469

[GWR]

EDITORIAL
Kick amulet trade out of temples

Places of Buddhist worship should not be used for the crass sale of Jatukam Ramathep and other talismans

The Religious Affairs Department and the Office of the Sangha Supreme Council did what they could to control the damage done to the Jatukam Ramathep amulet trade following the death of a 51-year-old woman who was killed in a stampede set off by an unruly crowd waiting to purchase a "special edition" of the amulets in Nakhon Si Thammarat on Monday. The Religious Affairs Department announced that it planned to regulate the manufacturing, consecration and distribution of the much-sought-after charms as the cult of Jatukam continues to spread among a growing number of wayward Buddhists. Profiteering on the popular amulets has kicked in as monastic and lay administrators of Buddhist temples countrywide, motivated by naked greed, are selling the amulets as fast as they can churn them out.

A large section of Thai society is lapping them up and actively engaging in the frenzied speculation in the charms which has sent the prices of Jatukam skyrocketing. In the meantime, no one is getting any wiser or having any better an understanding of the essence of the Buddha's teachings, which emphasise the search for a sense of detachment from worldly temptations.

Preecha Kantiya, director-general of the Religious Affairs Department, said his department could not stop temples from manufacturing and distributing Jatukam Ramathep amulets to the public. He was being as honest as he was realistic about the entire situation. It is beyond his power to ask the abbots of Buddhist temples throughout the country to give up this lucrative fund-raising gimmick, which has become a big business generating billions of baht every year.

What is happening now is that the fad for amulets bearing the images of Buddha, which used to make tonnes of money for Buddhist temples in this country, has given way to the newer, previously unheard of Hindu deity.

The Sangha Supreme Council, the governing body of Thai Buddhist monks, has clearly stated that Buddha amulets and all other talismans can be produced and distributed as mementoes or tokens of appreciation for merit-making or for cash donations to temples. The Sangha made it clear, however, that Buddhist monks are not supposed to be involved in the business of selling amulets or charms or to boast about the supernatural powers of those items to promote sales.

The Council warned that any Buddhist monk found to have engaged in the commercialisation of amulets or to have made false claims about their supernatural powers, will be subjected to the severest disciplinary action. Despite this, very few Buddhist monks practising black magic or making profits from the sale of amulets have ever been punished.

Even now many Buddhist temples continue to discreetly promote the idea that owning Jatukam amulets brings many benefits. The belief that the amulets have magical powers that protect their owners and bring them good luck is so widely held by so many people that it is no longer necessary for temples to spell it out to them.

The first batch of Jatukam amulets was introduced with little fanfare in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat some 20 years ago. The original creator of the amulets was a highly respected and honest police officer in Nakhon Si Thammarat who was reputed to possess occult knowledge.

With the Religious Affairs Department and the Sangha Supreme Council taking a half-hearted approach, not discouraging the trade but choosing to maintain the status quo, the trade in Jatukam amulets will probably continue unabated. Of course people will choose to believe what they want to believe, but Buddhist temples that are supposed to be devoted to the study of the Buddha's teachings and spreading that wisdom to as many people as possible, should refrain from preying on the impressionable masses.

Anyone with the most rudimentary knowledge of the Buddha's teachings should realise that; we would have thought that learned abbots and Buddhist monks running temples or houses of dharma would know better than to turn them into little more than amulet trading houses.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007...n_30031860.php

[GWR]

JATUKHAM FEVER
Amulet frenzy brings mini boom

Nakhon Si Thammarat rides economic crest as many rush to buy lucky charm

The fatal crushing of a woman in a stampede has had no affect on the insatiable appetite for Jatukham Rammathep amulets, with the temple making and selling them fully booked until the end of the year for incantations.

"We can't stop the production and incantations of the Jatukham Rammathep and must admit that the phenomenon has turned the province into an economic boom town," said Sonthaya Senniam, director of the Nakhon Si Thammarat Buddhism Office.

Huge numbers of tourists are flocking to the province to worship Jatukham Rammathep statues located in Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawiharn or Wat Phra Nakhon, while amulet creators from across the country have come to use the temple as a place to recite incantations over the amulets.

Local hotels are fully booked each weekend.

The first batch of Jatukham Rammathep amulets was introduced with little fanfare in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat 20 years ago.

There are now more than 400 different models in the market.

The first model, made in 1987, cost less than Bt100. It is now worth between Bt500,000 and Bt600,000.

The talisman started becoming a popular item in the middle of last year and is now almost an obsession.

More than 200 editions of Jatukham Rammathep amulets are now being made throughout the Kingdom.

Creations of "genuine" talismans require permission from Wat Phra Nakhon, and the incantations must be performed at the temple or at Nakhon Si Thammarat's city-pillar shrine.

"The temple has been fully reserved until December by more than 250 creators," said Sonthaya. "Instead of stopping the production of the amulets, we'd rather find stricter safety measures in the public distribution process," he said.

The local committee overseeing the Jatukham Rammathep trend includes local administrators, police, temples and the amulet creators. They are now working on finding ways to prevent the chaos that occurred on April 9, when a 51-year-old local woman was crushed to death and dozens of people were injured as thousands forced their way into a technical school in the province to buy reserving coupons for the amulets made at Wat Phra Nakhon.

Yesterday, the temple distributed the coupons for the Jatukham Rammathep special edition called Ngern Lai Ma II at three spots in the city: Nakhon Si Thammarat Technical College, Rama IX Park and Thanakhonyanwaropasuthit School.

The special edition consists of 30,000 sets, each including 13 talismans and costing Bt500. It could hardly cover the demand from hundreds of thousands of people.

The temple made the original Jatukham Rammathep amulets, among them the very popular Ngern Lai Ma edition distributed early this year.

A Jatukham Rammathep "guru" said the amulets were pumping Bt100 million into Nakhon Si Thammarat each week. All flights to the province have been booked out, and passengers must fly to Krabi instead, then take a bus to Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Maj-General Sudjai Yanarat, the provincial police commander, said the phenomenon had changed police priorities, because they now had to deal with the massive influx of tourists and Jatukham Rammathep followers from across the country.

Traffic police have been under a lot of pressure, due to huge traffic jams.

Wat Phra Nakhon abbot Phra Maha Maitri said the Religious Affairs Department had ordered the postponement of the amulets' production, but it was impossible to stop, because of the huge amount of money to be made in the province.

The talismans, he added, were sold by the temple at moderate rates, but the price shot up tenfold when resold.

However, the distribution of the special edition has been halted until the temple can come up with a safer way to distribute them, Phra Maha Maitri said.

Nonetheless, hundreds of people are still waiting in front of the temple gates, hoping the distribution will start again.

The Jatukham Rammathep amulets have gained a huge and almost frenzied following based on claims of their magical powers and the good fortune they can bring to their owners.

Although it has no relation to Buddhism, many Thai Buddhists believe in the amulets' power and are prepared to pay large sums for one.

"The faith [in the amulets] is creating huge benefits for the businessmen now dominating 80 per cent of production. There are several 'organisers' set up to produce the amulets for investors," said a Jatukham Rammathep co-ordinator at a local temple.

Another Jatukham Rammathep "guru", Pong Phrakrueng, said the amulets sold in the market cost Bt100 to Bt5 million - and up.

He predicted the phenomenon would continue for another couple of years. When more editions are produced, the trend will "moderate", with only the original editions still in demand.

Chatrarat Kaewmorakot
Mayuree Sukyingcharoenwong
The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007...s_30032019.php

Amulet lovers makes beeline for temple

Apart from the millions of baht spent on each new edition of the Jatukham Rammathep amulets, more than Bt700 million has been circulating each month in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, where the amulets are produced.

More than 10,000 visitors from around the country arrive in this southern province each day, and the 6,000 available hotel rooms are regularly fully booked, said Wichoke Angmanee, a senior Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) official.

The number of tourists registered at hotels has risen 17 per cent since last year, when the amulets became extremely popular following the funeral of the late crimebuster Phantharak Rajjadej, who helped create the popular amulets.

Buddhist Malaysians and Singaporeans are also regular visitors to Nakhon Si Thammarat and frequently have their sons or nephews ordained as monks or novices during their school breaks at Mahathat Woramahawihan temple, at which official productions of the amulets are based.

However, Wichoke said the TAT would not rely solely on the promotion of Jatukham Rammathep amulets to boost tourism.

"The TAT's culture-oriented tourism will focus on helping the regular tourism industry continue and be sustained, with or without the popularity of the amulets involved," he said.

Jamorn Jaroenphibal, chairman of the Nakhon Si Thammarat Chamber of Commerce, said an additional Bt300 million to Bt400 million had been pumped into the province among general business-owners, including those directly involved with the sale and production of the amulets.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007...l_30032024.php

[GWR]

Who is Jatukham Rammathep?

In light of last week's extraordinary scramble for coupons to buy a fervently desired amulet - which saw a woman crushed in a stampede at a temple in the South - many are asking just what is Jatukham Rammathep? And why does it produce such hysteria?

There are many legends about the origins of Jatukham Rammathep, the name used to identify a certain kind of amulet, but it is generally agreed that it goes way back in the mists of time, long before the northern kingdoms emerged.

Perhaps the most credible account is provided by late crime-buster Phantharak Rajjadej, who helped to create the famous amulets, as described in an almanac authored by Magsaysay Award winner Jamlong Fangchollajit, a native of Nakhon Si Thammarat, where the history of it is set.

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 Thammasoke realm, 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.

There are more than 150 series of Jatukham Rammathep amulets planned for this year alone. Productions must be approved by the Pillar Shrine committee and the amulets are required to undergo Buddhist and Brahman blessing ceremonies held at the Holy Pillar Shrine or Mahathat Woramaha-wiharn temple in the province.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007...l_30032023.php

[GWR]

Amulet business may now be taxed

The Revenue Department is considering whether to tax enterprises related to the soaring sales of Jatukham Rammathep amulets, a business estimated to be worth Bt20 billion, in order to offset a shortfall in revenue collection as a result of the economic slowdown.

Director-general Sanit Rangnoi yesterday said the department was sending officials to check the estimated income from Jatukham Rammathep transactions.

"There is a tremendous amount of money floating round in the amulet market. If the production of the talismans is for commercial purposes, it should be taxed. If the production is done purely out of faith, it may be exempt," he said.

"It's the duty of the Revenue Department to find out this information. We are sending officials to gather more details, especially from the various people who are involved with Jatukham Rammathep production," the director-general said.

Sanit said that the plan would not be limited to Jatukham Rammathep items, but all amulets and talismans. Jatukham Rammathep items are cited as the prime example because an obsession with them has recently swept the nation, and has become large enough to have an impact on the economy.

Kasikorn Research Centre earlier estimated that the money generated from Jatukham Rammathep fever, evident from late last year, was worth more than Bt20 billion.

Talisman experts said that Jatukham Rammathep fever involved various groups of people, from the production, design, blocking and sourcing of raw materials, to organising rituals and then distribution.

Watcharapong Radomsithipat, a talisman expert, said the phenomenon was estimated to have created about 10,000 jobs.

He said the Jatukham Rammathep obsession also had a spillover effect on other sectors of society. For instance, a large amount of the money generated is used to repair temples, build stupa and construct schools.

This creates demand for construction materials such as cement, steel and bricks, amid a slowdown in the property sector.

"The money generated from Jatukham Rammathep moves into the economic system from the grass roots to the macro-economic level. The general public are involved in the production of Jatukham Rammathep items," he added.

Another expert, who asked not to be named, said the planned talisman tax would inevitably involve temples because amulets and talismans are anointed and endorsed by the temples, which would also have profit-sharing deals from their sale.

If the plan involves temples, the idea of taxing Jatukham Rammathep or other talisman items might be difficult in practice.

Wichit Chaitrong

The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007...s_30032266.php

[jpatokal]

Originally Posted by Nation

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.

I hope the Nation's history is a little better than their theology, because this is so garbled it makes no sense. A being capable of Buddhahood but dedicated to others achieve enlightment is a boddhisattva, and Avalokiteshvara is just one (albeit by far the best known) of the lot. A "future Buddha", on the other hand, refers to Maitreya, a being who doesn't exist yet but will arrive to redeem the world at some point in the future.

[GWR]

Jatukham amulets seem to have migrated to the Business Section lately:

The Jatukham craze

The faiths and superstitions of many Thais have been a godsend to some in the material world

The phenomenal Jatukham Rammathep amulet has not only brought quick riches to its creators and retailers, but has also been a windfall for its sculptors.

Aey, 32, was a lecturer in sculpture at Nakhon Si Thammarat College of Fine Arts for almost 10 years before good fortune smiled on him and he was hired to design a version of the Jatukham amulet models and statues earlier this year.

"I have been in Nakhon Si Thammarat since 1998. My permanent job here is teaching the art of sculpture at the college for a salary of about Bt12,000 per month," he said.

This month he also picked up almost Bt50,000 extra from designing the talk-of-the-town Jatukham models and statues.

The Jatukham fever in Nakhon Si Thammarat has also created jobs and wealth, not only for him but also those with visual-art skills in his college and in other colleges such as the Nakhon Si Thammarat Arts and Crafts College.

"The demand for the amulets has surpassed even that for mobile phones in these provinces. From my house I can see the vehicles advertising the Jatukham models passing every day," he said.

The first Jatukham model was created in Nakhon Si Thammarat in 1987 by the committee of the City Pillar Shrine of Nakhon Si Thammarat to raise funds to build a city pillar in the town. The Jatukham Rammathep became the most sought-after object in Nakhon Si Thammarat just a decade ago, before the obsession gripped the whole country a few years back.

The price of the original Jatukham models created 20 years ago was only between Bt39 and Bt59 each but they can now fetch from Bt50,000 to Bt1 million.

One Jatukham expert, Anan Sae Tan, said frenzied marketing and the use of the media have contributed a great deal to the booming Jatukham Rammathep trade.

Anan, 46, was appointed by the committee of the City Pillar Shrine of Nakhon Si Thammarat to jointly create the first Jatukham amulet model in 1987.

"The Jatukham was unlikely to gain fast popularity without the marketing campaign. The hot sales of the first models created in Nakhon Si Thammarat inspired investors and other temples to follow suit and create different Jatukham models," he added.

There are now over 100 varieties of Jatukham.

He said that the booming trade is due to people's dire need for something to hold on to in these gloomy economic and political times.

The key to the success of the Jatukham is its appealing design, he added.

"Its design also tended towards the look of jewellery and an object of fashion," he said.

Organisations that create a Jatukham must have a clear objective when doing so in order to ensure its success. One often-cited objective is that the Jatukham be created for social charity or fund-raising.

The other success factor is heavy spending on marketing by Jatukham creators. The total cost of creating one Jatukham line ranges from around Bt100,000 to over Bt10 million, of which most is spent on marketing activities. All kinds of media, from newspapers to television, are used to promote the amulets.

According to Kasikorn Research Centre, the cash flow in the trade of Buddhist amulets and related activities is expected to reach Bt22 billion this year, and the Jatukham is a major contributor to the growth. The popularity of the Jatukham also helps stimulate the growth of many related businesses, such as stainless amulet frames and amulet magazines.

Malee Boonsiripunth, dean of the faculty of journalism and mass communication at Thammasat University, said the Jatukham phenomenon reflected Thai culture and people's belief in the supernatural.

"This is a demonstration of the media's power and its influence in setting a strong agenda for the public. The media over the past months has frequently reported on 'miracles' that these talismans have brought to the owner. This has stirred the public appetite for them," she said.

Malee said the popularity of Jatukham, encouraged by individual producers and distributors, had reinforced interest and the public demand for them, which has led to a huge increase in their prices. Jatukham has become a fashion item demanded by almost everybody.

"The media themselves need to be more concerned about screening the information and presenting it in a more rational way to avoid encouraging superstition," said Malee.

Sorn Chongsricharn, chief executive of advertising agency Y&R, said Jatukham was a good new brand. It has been supported by various marketing strategies and the use of various media channels to make the brand successful and enduring.

"Jatukham has latched on to a good product, that is sacredness. The product has been facilitated with a good marketing mix, with affordable prices and a good distribution network, various types of promotion and clever communications," said Sorn.

He said those who openly flaunt the Jatukham have also played a significant part in building the brand, given that many opinion leaders in society wear and help promote Jatukham amulets.

"What is happening in society is a frenzy. Many communications tools, such as advertising, public relations activities and even customer-relationship-management strategies, have been used by the Jatukham creators and distributors to further spread the frenzy," said Sorn.


"A good product cannot be successful by itself - it always requires good marketing support and brand building," he added.

So will the Jatukham obsession fade soon?

Sorn said virtually every product has a life cycle but the Jatukham brand could last forever.

"From my point of view, the story of Jatukham will not fade away, as anything related to the faith and superstition of people will stay forever. These things will never disappear from this world," he said.

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007...s_30032415.php

[GWR]

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...l_30032451.php

[GWR]

Interior Ministry and Samut Sakhon seeks funds for officials operating in the deep South
The Ministry of Interior in collaboration with Samut Sakhon (สมุทรสาคร) Province have started producing amulets in an attempt to seek funds for state authorities to operate in the three southernmost provinces.

Permanent Secretary of Interior Phongphayom Wassaphot (พงศ์โพยม วาศภูติ) said the southern violence have caused damage to both local residents and state authorities. In an attempt to assist and support authorities’ operations in the restive south, Interior Minister and Sumut Sakhorn have jointly produced amulets of Luang Po To (หลวงพ่อโต) for sale, adding the proceedings will be used to purchase weapons and provide medical treatment for officials operating in the deep South.

The Interior Ministry and Sumut Sakhon will arrange a press conference of the project on May 18th at 14.00 hours at the Interior Ministry.
Reporter : RTI-Reporter04

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglis...d=255005170016

[mdechgan]

This is totally wrong against buddhist teachings.

Make and sell amulets marketing them as armor by buddist blessings to buy guns and ammo.

Most of these people have no idea what the buddhist religion is about.

[GWR]

PM: Amulet prices can be capped
By Nucharee Rakrun

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont yesterday questioned the rationale behind the heavy commercialisation of Jatukarm Ramathep amulets as calls to cap their prices become louder. ''If you ask me if I want to buy this kind of happiness, the answer is I don't,'' Gen Surayud said in Chiang Mai during the Government House Hotline programme on radio and Channel 11 television.


It is possible to control the prices of the amulets, some of which have gone up 1,000% in only a few weeks, the prime minister said, responding to a reporter's question.

Massive speculation has driven up prices of the amulets, which originate in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat.

The history of the amulet is unclear, though Jatukarm and Ramathep were said to be rulers of the ancient Srivijaya kingdom. They are revered by some as protectors of the province which was once home to a major trading port.

Gen Surayud said the trade is profit-oriented. ''There is a catch somewhere. There is always commercial interest behind everything,'' he added.

The prime minister said people should be aware how many times the amulets have been resold and consider what they will use them for.

In Nakhon Si Thammarat, the provincial tourism office has predicted a ''golden year'' for the local economy, giving credit to the Jatukarm Ramathep phenomenon.

Last year, the tourism industry injected more than six billion baht into the province and this year the figure is set to rise sharply.

Suthi Seelamai, director of the Nakhon Si Thammarat tourism, sports and leisure centre, said the boom would benefit the hospitality and service sectors the most.

He said the economic outlook for the province would likely remain bright for several years to come.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/20May2007_news03.php

[ncr]

Certainly ranks among the most intelligent things the PM has uttered during the last few months.....

[GWR]

Hardly worth mentioning that other stolen item was a very common-or-garden DVD player that probably cost 990 baht in MAKRO:

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/news_01_06_50_3.htm



[Photo: Pattaya City News]

1 Million Baht house robbery in Nongprue

Police Lieutenant Choosak from Banglamung Police Station was called to house number 49 in Soi Nong Hin in Nongprue in the early hours of Friday Morning after a robbery at the house was reported. Police were met by Khun Sompop aged 42, the house owner, who explained that Buddhist Amulet’s known in Thai as “Jatukum” were stolen along with a DVD Player. The stolen Amulet’s included a number from 1979 which are considered as extremely valuable. The estimated value of the stolen items is over 1 Million Baht. The point of entry for the thief or thieves was a ground floor window. No prints were found and no witnesses came forward. Police are now on the lookout for anyone selling these valuable items.