[Tlc] RE: mile-high amulet sacralization club!

[Michael Montesano]

Brilliant!

________________________________

From: BangkokPost.com [mailto:webmaster at bangkokpost.net] 
Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2007 5:42 AM
To: Michael Montesano
Subject: mile-high amulet sacralization club!


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TALISMAN JATUKARM RAMATHEP

Pawnshop owner banks on charm 

ACHATAYA CHUENNIRAN NUCHAREE RAKRUN BOONNUM KERDKAEW 

The phenomenal popularity of the talisman has given rise to the opening
the first Jatukarm Ramathep pawnshop in the resort town of Phuket. 

It is bankable proof of the talisman's slogan: ''Mee Ku Wai, Mueng Mai
Jon'' (the talisman owner will not be poor). 

The owner, Jirasak Samaktalay, 23, who wears a black, oversized amulet
around his neck, said his shop accepts only Jatukarm talismans and
amulets. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

The talisman remains highly sought after, and is a prime target of
thieves. 

In Nakhon Si Thammarat province, where the talisman originated, burglars
broke into an amulet shop yesterday and snatched Jatukarm amulets. 

The shopowner Namchai Chusong, 33, told police the thieves took 110,000
baht in amulets, mobile phones and prepaid phone cards. 

He suspected an ex-employee was part of the gang, as the thieves knew in
which cabinets the popular talisman was kept. 

Orient Thai Airlines yesterday jumped on the Jatukarm bandwagon, holding
a Jatukarm-production ritual on board its Bangkok-Nakhon Si Thammarat
flight. 

Orient Thai CEO Udom Tantiprasongchai said this was in line with the
belief that the higher the ritual venue the more sacred the amulet. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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 

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