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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=684154804-07062007><FONT
size=3>Brilliant!</FONT></SPAN></DIV><BR>
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<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> BangkokPost.com
[mailto:webmaster@bangkokpost.net] <BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, June 06, 2007
5:42 AM<BR><B>To:</B> Michael Montesano<BR><B>Subject:</B> mile-high amulet
sacralization club!<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
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<DIV id=email><FONT color=maroon size=-1><B>TALISMAN JATUKARM
RAMATHEP</B></FONT><BR><BR><STRONG><FONT class=textheader
color=#990000>Pawnshop owner banks on charm</FONT></STRONG>
<P><FONT size=-1><B>ACHATAYA CHUENNIRAN NUCHAREE RAKRUN BOONNUM
KERDKAEW</B></FONT>
<P><!--img--><!--/img-->
<P>
<P>The phenomenal popularity of the talisman has given rise to the opening
the first Jatukarm Ramathep pawnshop in the resort town of Phuket.
<P>
<P>It is bankable proof of the talisman's slogan: ''Mee Ku Wai, Mueng Mai
Jon'' (the talisman owner will not be poor).
<P>
<P>
<P>
<P>The owner, Jirasak Samaktalay, 23, who wears a black, oversized amulet
around his neck, said his shop accepts only Jatukarm talismans and
amulets.
<P>
<P>
<P>
<P>In particular, the shop welcomes the most sought-after issues _ such as
the 1987 Pathom Orahan Suvarnabhumi, Kote Setti (super rich) _ and pays
market rates, which are four digits and up.
<P>
<P>The amulets have come out in almost 1,000 versions, with the Kote Setti
being the turn-around version that sent its popularity skyrocketing, he
said.
<P>
<P>
<P>
<P>When he started the business on Phuket road in Muang district, many
collectors tested him by trying to pawn forged images. But he could
distinguish the real from the fake _ checking the material it was made
from, the craftsmanship and serial numbers.
<P>
<P>
<P>
<P>The talisman remains highly sought after, and is a prime target of
thieves.
<P>
<P>In Nakhon Si Thammarat province, where the talisman originated,
burglars broke into an amulet shop yesterday and snatched Jatukarm
amulets.
<P>
<P>
<P>
<P>The shopowner Namchai Chusong, 33, told police the thieves took 110,000
baht in amulets, mobile phones and prepaid phone cards.
<P>
<P>
<P>
<P>He suspected an ex-employee was part of the gang, as the thieves knew
in which cabinets the popular talisman was kept.
<P>
<P>
<P>
<P>Orient Thai Airlines yesterday jumped on the Jatukarm bandwagon,
holding a Jatukarm-production ritual on board its Bangkok-Nakhon Si
Thammarat flight.
<P>
<P>
<P>
<P>Orient Thai CEO Udom Tantiprasongchai said this was in line with the
belief that the higher the ritual venue the more sacred the amulet.
<P>
<P>
<P>
<P>The one-million-baht earned from the sale would go to restoring schools
torched by militants in Pattani. The fund-raiser was jointly organised
with the Lions Club.
<P>
<P>
<P>
<P>The mood is somewhat different in tambon Nampee in Uttaradit where
large holes dot land which was once fertile forest, as people dig for
Nampee ore _ one of the raw materials for the talisman.
<P>
<P>
<P>
<P>Piya Kankhayan, chief of the provincial tourism, sports and recreation
centre, said about 100 local people had been involved in the plundering of
the 60-rai land belonging to the Boh Lek Nampee museum. Jatukarm producers
offered 4-5 baht for each kilogramme of Nampee ore.
<P>
<P>
<P>
<P>The poachers did not even bother to fill in the holes, Mr Piya said. He
feared the forest would be destroyed and the Nampee ore deposits could
soon be exhausted.
<P>
<P>Nampee ore is believed to produce a sacred metal. In the past it was
used in production of the king's swords, valued for its power to ward off
bad spells and protect the owner against other weapons
</P></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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