A Thai amulet, called phra khrueang (พระเครื่อง) in Thai, is a small image of the Buddha. It may also show a revered monk, a bodhisattva or a deity. Such images were first made to be enshrined inside stupas (chedi) [1], [2]. The word phra khrueang first appeared under King Rama IV in the Rattanakosin period. It also took in the older votive tablets (phra phim), a tradition that began in India [1], [2].
Key facts
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Thai term | พระเครื่อง (phra khrueang); first used under King Rama IV | [1], [2] |
| Older form | Phra phim (พระพิมพ์): small Buddha images pressed into a mould | [4] |
| Two broad families | Buddhist amulets (phra khrueang) and animist amulets (khrueang rang) | [3] |
| The "Benjapakee" | A set of five famous amulets, grouped between about BE 2490 and 2495 (1947–1952); sources differ | [2], [24] |
| First Buddha coin | Phra Phuttha Chinnasi coin, BE 2440 (1897), nicknamed "Pu Rian" | [13], [14] |
| Year system | Buddhist Era (BE) = Gregorian year + 543 | [16] |
| Famous market | Tha Phrachan Market, next to Thammasat University, Bangkok | [1] |
What are Thai amulets (phra khrueang)?
The core meaning of phra khrueang is a small Buddha image. Thai Wikipedia describes them as small-size Buddha images made to be placed in stupas as a reminder of the Buddha [2]. The same article widens the term to small images of monks who are noble persons (อริยบุคคล), bodhisattvas and deities [2]. English Wikipedia gives the same scope and adds that some depict revered monks or devas [1].
Scholars separate two families of object. A 2022 study by Iamkhorpung and Kosuta of Mahidol University's College of Religious Studies compares Buddhist amulets (phra khrueang) with animist amulets (khrueang rang, เครื่องราง) [3]. They argue there is no clear boundary between the two. They describe a continuous spectrum instead, running from "purely" animist objects to "purely" Buddhist images [3].
Khrueang rang covers objects such as the takrut scroll, the pha yant cloth and lek lai [12]. A 2023 Siamrath column lists many more, including rosaries (ประคำ), bia gae (เบี้ยแก้), luk om (ลูกอม), palad khik (ปลัดขิก), boar tusks and Phirot rings [11].
In Thai popular devotion, amulets are tied to beliefs about protection and good fortune [1], [2]. This guide reports those beliefs only as beliefs. It describes the objects themselves: their history, makers, materials and how they are identified.
Where Thai amulets came from: from votive tablets to phra khrueang
The direct ancestor of the amulet is the votive tablet, or phra phim. Thai Wikipedia defines it as a small Buddha image made by pressing clay into a mould (mae phim, แม่พิมพ์) [4]. The tradition is thought to have begun at the four Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India, around the 5th–6th Buddhist centuries [4].
The two Wikipedia articles give this history by period [1], [2], [4]:
- Dvaravati. Mon makers produced mostly fired-clay tablets, often inscribed with the ye dhamma verse. They are found widely in central Thailand [4].
- Srivijaya. Under Mahayana influence, tablets were made to dedicate merit to the dead [1], [2].
- Haripunchai. Tablets were made in large numbers to be sealed inside stupas [4].
- Sukhothai. Tablets in fired clay and in chin metal (เนื้อชิน) are found in deposits inside stupas [4].
- Ayutthaya. Tablets came to be carried for auspiciousness, including into battle [1], [2]. The Lilit Taleng Phai says King Naresuan fixed Phichit tablets to his hat when going to war [4].
- Early Rattanakosin. Making amulets became very popular, and the images came to be called phra khrueang and worn on the neck [1], [4].
Many old amulets are therefore "found" objects. Thai Wikipedia describes such tablets as found in the krue (กรุ) of stupas [4]. The Phra Rod type was found in a partly collapsed stupa at Wat Mahawan, Lamphun province, under King Chulalongkorn [1]. Phra Phong Suphan came out of a formal dig at Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, Suphanburi, in 1913 [1].
Thai amulet types explained
Beginners usually meet five broad types. The table names them, and the subsections below give examples.
| Type | What it shows or is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Buddha image (phra phim, phra kring, phra pidta) | The Buddha, sometimes a disciple | Phra Somdej Wat Rakang [5] |
| Monk image | A revered monk | Luang Pu Thuat amulets [7] |
| Deity | A guardian deity | Jatukam Ramathep [8], [9] |
| Takrut and other khrueang rang | Inscribed metal scroll, cloth, charm | Takrut thon, takrut solot [10] |
| Rian (coin) | Struck or cast medallion | Phra Phuttha Chinnasi coin, BE 2440 [13] |
Buddha images: Phra Somdej, Phra Kring and Phra Pidta
Phra Somdej (พระสมเด็จ; Chinese 崇迪) is the best-known Buddha-image amulet. English Wikipedia calls it the "king of amulets" [1]. The most famous series, Phra Somdej Wat Rakang, was made by Somdet Phra Phutthachan (To Brahmarangsi) of Wat Rakhang Khositaram [5]. Thai Wikipedia divides its making into three periods, from about BE 2355 to BE 2415 (1812–1872) [5]. English Wikipedia dates the best-known pieces to about 1866–1871 [1]. Most Phra Somdej do not show the Buddha's eyes, nose or mouth [1].
A royal series followed much later. Phra Somdej Chitralada amulets were made by King Bhumibol and given to selected people from 1965 to 1970. No more than 3,000 were made [1]. Thai Wikipedia's article on the Phra Phuttha Chinnasi image adds, in an unreferenced note, that powder from that image was among their ingredients [23].
Phra Kring (พระกริ่ง) is a metal statuette of a seated, meditating Buddha. English Wikipedia links it to the Medicine Buddha (Bhaisajyaguru) and notes that many contain a loose bead that rattles [1].
Phra Pidta (พระปิดตา; Chinese 必打) shows a figure raising its hands to cover its face [6]. Thai Wikipedia links it to the disciple Phra Khwampati (Gavampati) [6]. The earliest examples were metal. Later ones include powder mixed with lacquer (ผงคลุกรัก) [6].
Monk images: Luang Pu Thuat
Many amulets show a monk rather than the Buddha. Luang Pu Thuat is a well-known example. Published biographies place him in the Ayutthaya period. He is known as Luang Pu Thuat of Wat Chang Hai, whose abbot Ajahn Tim is credited with pioneering his amulets [7]. The first batch of his amulets was made in BE 2497 (1954) and was entirely herbal material (nuea wan) [7]. Coin-style batches followed in BE 2500 and 2504 [7].
Deities: Jatukam Ramathep
Some amulets show guardian deities. Jatukam Ramathep are the guardian deities of Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan in Nakhon Si Thammarat [8]. A policeman created the amulets in 1987 [9]. In April 2007 the Bangkok Post reported that more than 10,000 people had camped overnight to buy them [9]. It also reported that several leading monks had criticised the craze [9]. English Wikipedia says the craze appeared to have burst by late 2007 [1].
Takrut and other khrueang rang
A takrut (ตะกรุด) is a thin sheet of metal inscribed with sacred letters and yant diagrams, then rolled into a hollow tube [10], [11]. Thai Wikipedia lists gold, silver, nak (นาก) and lead sheets. Some are made of palm leaf, animal hide or sacred woods [10]. The inscription is cut with an iron stylus. Some makers then bind the tube with cord or thread and coat it in lacquer [11].
A takrut is hung from the neck or tied at the waist [10]. Thai Wikipedia says takrut developed from large, thick pieces made for going to war, which later became smaller [10]. Named forms include [10]:
- takrut thon (ตะกรุดโทน): a single tube
- takrut faet (ตะกรุดแฝด): two tubes
- takrut sam kasat (ตะกรุดสามกษัตริย์): three metals
- takrut solot (ตะกรุดโสฬส): sixteen tubes
Rian: Thai coin amulets
A rian (เหรียญ) is a medallion amulet. The first Buddha coin in Thailand is the Phra Phuttha Chinnasi coin of BE 2440 (1897) [13]. Collectors call it Pu Rian (ปู่เหรียญ, "grandfather coin") [13]. King Chulalongkorn ordered it for the celebration of the Phra Phuttha Chinnasi image on his return from Europe [13], [14]. That image is the principal Buddha of the ordination hall at Wat Bowonniwet, Bangkok [23].
The coin was made abroad [14]. It exists in copper and in gilt copper, and in two shapes [13], [14]:
- a round coin with a joined loop
- a bodhi-leaf shape with a serrated edge
In 2012 Komchadluek put gilt round coins and bodhi-leaf coins at about 200,000–300,000 baht each, and plain copper round coins in the hundreds of thousands of baht (lak saen, หลักแสน) [13].
Coins are made in two ways. Old cast coins (rian lo, เหรียญหล่อ) were poured into moulds and often show mould residue and file marks. Struck coins were stamped from dies [15]. Before about BE 2470 (1927), the paired dies were mostly engraved by hand [15].
Thai amulet materials (neua)
Collectors describe an amulet's material as its nuea (เนื้อ). It appears in descriptions such as nuea thong daeng (copper) [13], [14] and in Phra Somdej grades such as nuea pun [5]. English Wikipedia lists plaster, metal, wood and bone. It notes that some amulets contain ash, monk's hair or temple relics [1]. Chinese Wikipedia describes powder amulets (粉牌) as pressed by hand in moulds, and metal amulets (金屬牌) as made with metal press-moulds [21].
| Material (Thai) | What it is | Example | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nuea din / fired clay (ดินเผา) | Pressed, fired clay | Dvaravati and Sukhothai tablets | [4] |
| Nuea chin (เนื้อชิน) | Metal used for tablets | Sukhothai tablets | [4] |
| Nuea phong (เนื้อผง) | Powder or lime-based mix pressed in a mould | Phra Somdej Wat Rakang | [5], [21] |
| Nuea phong khluk rak | Powder mixed with lacquer | Later Phra Pidta | [6] |
| Nuea wan (เนื้อว่าน) | Herbal material | First Luang Pu Thuat batch, BE 2497 | [7] |
| Nuea thong daeng (ทองแดง) | Copper, sometimes gilt | Pu Rian coin, BE 2440 | [13], [14] |
| Sheet metal | Gold, silver, nak, lead | Takrut | [10], [11] |
The Phra Somdej shows how detailed a recipe can be. Thai Wikipedia gives shell lime (ปูนขาวเปลือกหอย) as the main material. Other listed ingredients are cooked rice, banana, tung oil and burnt palm-leaf powder [5]. It sorts the textures into named grades, including nuea pun num (soft lime) and nuea pun kraeng (hard lime) [5].
How to read a Thai amulet: phim, temple, run and BE year
Thai amulet names are built from a few standard parts.
- Type: Phra Somdej, Phra Pidta, rian, takrut.
- Phim (พิมพ์): the mould pattern. Phra Somdej Wat Rakang has many phim. Thai Wikipedia names six well-known ones, including phim phra prathan or phim yai (large mould), phim chedi, phim than saem, phim ket bua tum and phim prok pho [5]. Thai Wikipedia also lists sub-variants within them [5].
- Maker or monk: the monk or institution behind the batch, such as Somdej To [5].
- Temple (wat): where it was made or consecrated.
- Run (รุ่น, run): the batch. Run raek (รุ่นแรก) means the first batch, as in the coin headline below [14].
- Year: given in the Buddhist Era.
- Material (nuea): see above.
A press headline and a Wikipedia name show the pattern:
| Headline or name (Thai) | Read as | Source |
|---|---|---|
| เหรียญพระพุทธชินสีห์ รุ่นแรก ปี 2440 วัดบวรนิเวศวิหาร | Coin (rian) · Phra Phuttha Chinnasi · first batch · BE 2440 · Wat Bowonniwet | [14] |
| พระสมเด็จวัดระฆัง พิมพ์ทรงพระประธาน (หรือพิมพ์ใหญ่) | Phra Somdej · Wat Rakhang · phim phra prathan (also phim yai, large mould) · by Somdej To | [5] |
Collectors then look at condition and detail. Thai Wikipedia says experts date a Phra Somdej by the era of its mould pattern and by examining the material under about 10x magnification [5]. For coins, Siamrath points to the sharpness of lines, casting traces and die type [15].
Converting a BE year to a Western date
Thailand counts years in the Buddhist Era, which runs 543 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar [16]. Subtract 543 to get the Common Era year: BE 2440 is 1897, and BE 2497 is 1954 [16].
There is one wrinkle for old pieces. From 1912 until 1940 the Thai year began on 1 April. Prime Minister Phibunsongkhram moved the start to 1 January from 1941, so BE 2483 lasted only nine months [16]. For dates from January to March in those years (1912–1940), the offset is 542 [16]. The Buddhist Era became the official count in BE 2455 (1912), under King Vajiravudh [16].
What is the Benjapakee? The five famous Thai amulets
The Benjapakee (เบญจภาคี, "set of five") is a collectors' grouping, not a single series. It is credited to Triyampawai (ตรียัมปวาย), the pen name of an army colonel who wrote on amulets [2], [24]. Sources differ on the date. Thai Wikipedia puts it around BE 2490 (1947) [2], while a 2026 Thairath article says it began around 1952 [24]. The five are [2], [24]:
| Amulet | Period | Famous source |
|---|---|---|
| Phra Somdej Wat Rakang | Rattanakosin | Wat Rakang |
| Phra Rod | Late Dvaravati (Haripunchai) | Wat Mahawan, Lamphun |
| Phra Kamphaeng Sum Kor | Sukhothai | Kamphaeng Phet |
| Phra Nang Phaya | Ayutthaya | Wat Nang Phaya, Phitsanulok |
| Phra Phong Suphan | U-Thong | Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, Suphanburi |
Thai Wikipedia treats Phra Rod as the oldest of the five. It also notes that Phra Kamphaeng Sum Kor is now among the hardest to find [2].
For a sense of where named series trade today, see our observed listing prices, each with its source and capture date.
Thai amulet names across Asia: tangkal Siam, phật bài and 泰国佛牌
Readers outside Thailand meet these objects under other names. Chinese usage is documented in the press: in 2012 China News Service reported on 泰国佛牌 being sought by believers in Shanxi, Beijing and Shanghai [25]. Chinese Wikipedia also notes that many people in China wear them [21]. We found no dictionary entry for tangkal Siam or phật bài as a set phrase, so the sections below explain each word [17], [19].
Tangkal Siam (Malay)
Tangkal is standard Malay. The Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka dictionary (Kamus Dewan, 4th edition) defines it as an object used to ward off misfortune, and gives azimat as a synonym [17]. Siam is the name by which Thailand was known internationally until it was officially renamed on 24 June 1939 [18]. Tangkal Siam therefore pairs that Malay term with the old name for Thailand.
Phật bài (Vietnamese)
Phật bài is the Sino-Vietnamese reading of the Chinese characters 佛牌. In the Thiều Chửu dictionary, 佛 is read phật, from the Sanskrit for the Buddha [20]. The character 牌 is read bài and means a tablet, a plaque or a token [19]. The phrase therefore means "Buddha plaque".
泰国佛牌 (Chinese)
In Chinese, Thai amulets are 泰国佛牌 (Tàiguó fópái, "Thai Buddha plaques"). China News Service uses the term and describes it as a Buddhist object unique to Thailand [25]. Chinese Wikipedia gives พระเครื่อง as the Thai equivalent of 佛牌 and also uses the name 南傳聖物 ("Southern-tradition sacred objects") [21]. It renders Phra Somdej as 崇迪 or 崇笛 and Phra Pidta as 必打 [21].
Fakes, markets and where Thai amulets are traded
A famous amulet market in Bangkok is at Tha Phrachan, beside Thammasat University [1]. English Wikipedia notes that genuine old amulets are rare. Forgeries are common, and valuable pieces often need expert authentication [1].
The Pu Rian coin shows how copying works. Komchadluek reported that the bodhi-leaf Pu Rian has been widely copied. The round, looped version is so rare that no copies were known in 2012 [13]. Siamrath gives a similar account and adds that genuine coins show noticeably sharper detail [14].
Value depends on several factors. English Wikipedia lists appearance, scarcity, maker and age, alongside the piece's reputation among believers [1].
For deeper reading, see Stanley Jeyaraja Tambiah's The Buddhist Saints of the Forest and the Cult of Amulets (Cambridge University Press, 1984) [22].
Where to see pieces like this — Our sister shop, Shogun X Amulets, has a page on Thai amulets: https://shogunxamulets.com/?s=amulet&post_type=product. Disclosure: Shogun X Amulets and ThaiAmuletExchange.com are run by the same group.