Folklore of Thailand: Amulets and Charms

A must-see list for any trip to Thailand inevitably includes a number of the gorgeous wats, or temples, that fill the country. From Bangkok’s Wat Phra Keaw to Chiang Mai’s Wat Chedi Luang, from Chiang Rai’s Wat Rong Khun to Petchabun’s Wat Paa Son Gaeow, from Si Saket’s Wat Lan Khuat to Bueng Kan’s Wat Phu Tok, wats are quite literally the center of village life in Thailand. Any trip to most any temple will show how folk beliefs and Buddhism have melded into the current practice of wearing and displaying khong khlang (ของลัง), or amulets and charms, which can be purchased at or near the temples. But what do these amulets and charms supposedly do and how do they get their powers?

The first part of understanding the use of these amulets is understanding that there are different kinds. There’s the krueang rang (เครื่องราง), the phra krueang (พระเครื่อง), the krueang pluk sek (เครื่องปลุกเสก) and the wan yaa (วา่นยา).

Krueang Rang, Natural Talismans

The krueang rang can be a khot, which is a talisman from an animal or tree, or a seed from certain kinds of fruits and plants. They are transformed from their natural state into either a stone or copper version and has an inherent magical power to provide protection against harm to whomever is wearing or carrying the object, including gun shots and stabbings. Additionally, the krueang rang are mentioned in the historical stories of Thailand and often factor into certain plot points.

Phra Krueang, Buddha and Monk Images

Phra krueang are probably the most popular and widely used amulets in Thailand today, as they are representations of the Buddha and sometimes venerated monks and clergy. They come in all different sizes and are often worn as necklaces and are believed to protect against dangers.

Some Thais adhere to the belief that bigger and more is better, and so sometimes you will see people with chains sporting numerous amulets. In personal vehicles, you will often also see a number of this kind of amulet in plastic cases lining the dashboard.

You may also find these amulets left in caves, at chedis or other spiritual places. The phra krueang can be made of a variety of materials: terra-cotta, clay or chalk powder, cast metal or carved wood or stone.

Krueang Pluk, Blessed Item

Krueang pluk sek are any artificial items that under go the pluk sek process to gain their magical protection powers. The pluk sek process involves a chant, either in Pali and derived from the Vedas (the sacred Hindu scriptures) or in Thai (which are secret and while people may have them memorized, generally will not admit knowledge). The krueang pluk sek are most often have some kind of geometric property to them.

There are the takrut, which are hollow cylinders made from a small metal square with an inscription on them, often strung on a necklace or as a sash and often with many on one strand.

The salika is similar to the takrut but rather than worn on a necklace, is inserted in between teeth or the inner lower eyelid, to command good speech or goodwill in sight respectively. 

But perhaps the most visible version of a krueang pluk sek to a visitor would be the pha prachiat, which is similar to a prayer flag in that it is a piece of cloth inscribed with a yantra. Traditionally they were worn, but you can also see them hanging in shops and on clothing. The yantras are also those that are tattooed in the sak yant ceremonies.

Waan Yaa, Charmed Folk Medicines

Finally, the waan yaa are probably the least visible of the various charms, as they are used in folk medicines and magic associated with them. They are the plants that are used in the medicines and the identification of such plants is difficult because of the different dialects calling the same plants different names or using the same name for different plants.

However there is one kind of waan yaa that can be casually encountered and that is the waan nang kwak, which is a figurine of a woman beckoning in patrons set outside of a shop, typically made out of clay but sometimes carved out of a specific plant.

While most modern Thais would probably ascribe belief in and use of such amulets and charms to Buddhism, the fact is that they are not a part of the Buddha’s teachings. They are a melding of the animist beliefs that pre-date Buddhism in the region being adapted to the dominant beliefs of Buddhism and used to reinforce that dominance by appropriating the practices of the beliefs it over took. These permutations of folk beliefs are what I find so fascinating to explore as I continue in this series of posts.