The Benjapakee (Thai: เบญจภาคี, also spelled Benja Phakhi or Benchaphakhi) is a collectors' grouping of five old Thai votive amulets: Phra Somdej Wat Rakang, Phra Rod, Phra Nang Phaya, Phra Phong Suphan and Phra Kamphaeng Sum Kor [4], [5], [14], [23]. The grouping is credited to an amulet writer who used the pen name Triyampawai, first as a three-piece set and later expanded to five [1], [2], [3]. The sources conflict on the year (1952, B.E. 2495, or around B.E. 2490), on who first used the word "Benjapakee", and on the writer's real name; each version is set out below [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]. Each member comes from a different region and is attributed by collectors to a different period of Thai history, from Haripunchai to early Bangkok [4], [6].
Key facts
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Thai name | เบญจภาคี; เบญจ comes from Pali pañca, "five" | [7] |
| Members | Phra Somdej Wat Rakang, Phra Rod, Phra Nang Phaya, Phra Phong Suphan, Phra Kamphaeng Sum Kor | [4], [5] |
| Who grouped it | Pen name Triyampawai (ตรียัมปวาย); real name given differently by source (see below) | [1], [2], [4], [5] |
| When | First catalogue of sets in 1952 (B.E. 2495) [1], [2], [3]; "around 1952" [5]; Thai Wikipedia says the set began "around B.E. 2490" (c. 1947) [4] | [1], [2], [3], [4], [5] |
| Who coined the name | Only Thairath's English edition says Triyampawai first coined it [5]; [1]-[4] do not say | [1], [2], [3], [4], [5] |
| First form | A three-piece set (ไตรภาคี): Somdej, Nang Phaya, Rod | [1], [2] |
| Centre piece | Phra Somdej is customarily hung in the middle as the "presiding" amulet | [4] |
| Oldest member | Phra Rod of Wat Mahawan, Lamphun | [4], [5] |
| Reported figures | 2.5 million baht (Sum Kor, 2025) to an estimated 100 million baht (one Somdej, 2026) | [15], [18] |
What does Benjapakee mean?
The word joins two Pali-derived Thai words. Benja (เบญจ) is a literary Thai word for "five", borrowed from Pali pañca [7]. Phakhi (ภาคี) comes from Pali bhāgī, "one who has a share", and in modern Thai means a party or association [8].
Read together, the word means roughly "the five members" or "the five-party set" [7], [8]. Thairath's English edition glosses it as "Benja = five, Pakee = group" [5]. The word itself describes only a number and a grouping, not what the amulets are made of or depict.
Who created the Benjapakee set, and when?
The sources agree that the grouping is credited to an amulet writer with the pen name Triyampawai (ตรียัมปวาย) [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]. Thairath's English edition, in a later article, spells the pen name "Triyamphawai" [18]. They do not agree on his real name, on the year, or on who first used the word "Benjapakee". Each version is given as the source states it; this article does not rule between them.
The writer's real name, as each source gives it
| Source | Name as given | Rank as given |
|---|---|---|
| Post Today, 2018 [1] | ประจน กิตติประวัติ | พ.อ. (พิเศษ), Colonel (Special); "senior grandmaster" |
| Komchadluek, 2014 [2] | ประจน กิตติประวัติ | พ.อ.(พิเศษ), Colonel (Special); former officer at Supreme Command Headquarters |
| Thai Wikipedia [4] | ประจญ กิตติประวัติ (given name ends in ญ, not น) | พันเอก, Colonel, "the rank at the time" |
| PNRU Academic Journal, 2025 [3] | Surname spelled กิติประวัติ (one ต); no given name printed | พ.อ. (พิเศษ), Colonel (Special) |
| Thairath English, 2026 [5] | "Colonel Prayoon Ploywimon" | Colonel |
The year, and who coined the name
Post Today states that his first catalogue of amulet sets was compiled in 1952 (B.E. 2495) [1]. Komchadluek gives the same year for the "Benjapakee" catalogue, written ๒๔๙๕ [2]. Thairath's English edition says the legend "clearly began around 1952 CE" [5]. The Thai abstract of the 2025 PNRU Academic Journal study says the set began in B.E. 2495; the English abstract of the same paper prints "B.E. 1952", which does not match the Thai abstract on the same page, so the Thai figure is the one used here [3]. Thai Wikipedia says the set began "around B.E. 2490" (c. 1947) [4].
On the word itself, only Thairath's English edition says Triyampawai "first coined the name 'Benjapakee'" [5]. Post Today and Komchadluek say he arranged or compiled the sets [1], [2]; the PNRU study says the set was "created by" him [3]; Thai Wikipedia calls him the initiator of arranging the set [4]. None of these four says who coined the word.
From three amulets to five
The set did not start with five pieces. The first grouping was a triad (ไตรภาคี, traiphakhi) of Phra Somdej Wat Rakang, Phra Nang Phaya of Phitsanulok and Phra Rod of Wat Mahawan in Lamphun [1], [2]. Two more were added later: Phra Kamphaeng Sum Kor from Kamphaeng Phet and Phra Phong Suphan from Suphan Buri [1], [2], [3].
Thairath's English edition says the selection rested on rarity, the completeness of the Buddhist art and a long history of creation and faith in the pieces [5]. Post Today notes that the five-piece set has kept the name Benjapakee ever since [1].
The five Benjapakee amulets and where they come from
Each member has its own find-spot, material and collector-assigned period, summarised below and outlined in the subsections that follow.
| Amulet | Thai | Find-spot | Province | Period (as attributed by collectors) | Main material |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phra Somdej Wat Rakang | พระสมเด็จวัดระฆัง | Wat Rakang Khositaram | Bangkok | Rattanakosin | Powder and shell lime [9] |
| Phra Rod | พระรอด | Wat Mahawan | Lamphun | Haripunchai | Fired clay [2] |
| Phra Nang Phaya | พระนางพญา | Wat Nang Phaya | Phitsanulok | Ayutthaya | Fired clay [12] |
| Phra Phong Suphan | พระผงสุพรรณ | Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat | Suphan Buri | U Thong | Pollen, herbs and other auspicious materials [13] |
| Phra Kamphaeng Sum Kor | พระกำแพงซุ้มกอ | Thung Setthi, Nakhon Chum | Kamphaeng Phet | Sukhothai | Clay mixed with pollen; metal variants exist [15] |
Sources for find-spots and periods: [4], [5], [6], [15], [16].
Thai Wikipedia and Daily News both present each piece as the representative of one period, so a complete Benjapakee spans five eras of Thai Buddhist art [4], [6].
Phra Somdej Wat Rakang: the centre of the set
Phra Somdej Wat Rakang is attributed to Somdet Phra Phutthachan (To Phrommarangsi), usually called Somdej Toh, of Wat Rakang Khositaram in Bangkok [9], [5]. He lived from 1788 to 1872 [10]. Komchadluek calls the amulet the "emperor of amulets" (จักรพรรดิแห่งพระเครื่อง) [2].
Thai Wikipedia divides production into three phases: about B.E. 2355–2393 (1812–1850) with wooden moulds by local carvers; about B.E. 2394–2407 (1851–1864) with royal craftsmen helping to carve new moulds; and B.E. 2408–2415 (1865–1872), the phase for which the article reports a claim that the royal goldsmith Luang Wichan Chiaranai (หลวงวิจารณ์เจียรนัย) introduced stone moulds and tung oil [9]. Thai Wikipedia names burnt-shell lime as the main material, with cooked rice and banana among the additions, and lists "five special powders" (ผงวิเศษ 5 ประการ) and burnt palm-leaf powder as ritual ingredients [9]. Post Today lists the same five powders and shell lime, banana, rice and tung oil [1].
Thai Wikipedia names six well-known mould shapes (phim): Phra Prathan (the large mould), Chedi, Than Saem, Ket Bua Tum, Prok Pho and Sian Bat Ok Khrut [9]. Post Today counts four as accepted (large, Chedi, Than Saem, Ket Bua Tum) and says some collectors do not accept the scarce Prok Pho as standard [1]. On a Benjapakee necklace the Somdej is customarily hung in the middle as the presiding piece [4].
Phra Rod: the oldest Benjapakee amulet
Phra Rod comes from the chedi of Wat Mahawan in Lamphun, northern Thailand [11]. Thai Wikipedia describes it as the oldest member of the set, dated to the late Dvaravati or Haripunchai period [4]. Komchadluek reports that it is fired clay and that tradition credits a hermit (ruesi) with its making [2].
Thairath lists five recognised moulds: large, medium, small, shallow and short (phim yai, klang, lek, tuen and to) [11]. Thairath's English edition describes the pieces as small [5].
Several crypt openings are recorded. Thairath reports a first find when the chedi decayed in B.E. 2325 (1782), when more than ten thousand pieces spilled out and were re-enshrined, and a second in B.E. 2451 (1908), when the base was damaged and the pieces were taken out [11]. Komchadluek adds finds during restoration work in 1954 and in 1955, when more than 200 pieces came out of the foundation dig for the abbot's residence [2].
Phra Nang Phaya: the triangular Ayutthaya amulet
Phra Nang Phaya is a fired-clay amulet found at Wat Nang Phaya, Phitsanulok, in 1901 (B.E. 2444) [12]. Thairath reports that the pieces turned up when ground was dug for a building, at the time King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) visited Phitsanulok to cast a replica of the Phra Buddha Chinnarat image; the province presented some of the amulets to the king [12]. Komchadluek gives the same year [2].
Its maker is unrecorded. Thairath attributes it to the Ayutthaya school and suggests, as speculation, that it was made around B.E. 2095–2100 (1552–1557) under King Maha Thammaracha and Queen Wisutkasat, mother of King Naresuan [12]. English Wikipedia likewise reports the belief that the queen commissioned it [14].
The amulet shows a seated Buddha in the Maravijaya posture inside a triangular frame whose sides were cut by hand [12]. Thairath lists seven moulds [12]. The curved-knee mould (phim khao khong) is the one Daily News names in its line-ups of the five [16], [6].
Phra Phong Suphan: the U Thong-period powder amulet
Phra Phong Suphan comes from Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat in Suphan Buri [5], [3]. Thairath says amulets were found in the chedi of Wat Mahathat in Suphan Buri in 1913 (B.E. 2456) [13]. English Wikipedia reports that thieves had already taken amulets and tablets from the stupa, and that in 1913 the Suphan Buri governor ordered a formal dig [14].
Thairath describes the body as pollen (phong kesorn), herbs and other auspicious materials [13]. A gold-leaf inscription from the crypt describes how the amulets were made and mentions black and red kinds [13], [2]. Collectors divide them into three moulds: old face, middle face and young face (na kae, na klang and na num), with the old-face mould linked to the early U Thong period [13].
Phra Kamphaeng Sum Kor: the Sukhothai member from Kamphaeng Phet
Phra Kamphaeng Sum Kor comes from Thung Setthi, in Nakhon Chum subdistrict of Kamphaeng Phet, the site of a Sukhothai-era city [15], [16]. English Wikipedia records the tradition that Somdej Toh found Sum Kor amulets at Wat Phra Borommathat Nakhon Chum [14]. A ThaiJO study dates that temple's relic stupa to B.E. 1900 (1357 CE), founded by King Maha Thammaracha Lithai of Sukhothai [17].
Thairath lists several moulds: large (with or without the kanok flame pattern), middle, small (also called "palm-leaf fan") and khanom pia [15]. Thairath says each mould appears in several body types: clay mixed with pollen, tin alloy (chin), lead and herb (wan) material, and even a green tin alloy [15]. Thai Wikipedia describes the Sum Kor as the hardest of the five to find today [4].
How much is a Benjapakee amulet worth?
There is no fixed price for "a Benjapakee"; the press reports below each price one piece. The 2025 PNRU Academic Journal study links high prices to scarcity, since old pieces have been damaged or lost over time [3]. Komchadluek reported in 2014 that prices had risen from thousands of baht to tens of millions of baht [2].
Figures reported in the Thai press:
| Member | Figure (as reported) | What it is | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phra Somdej Wat Rakang, perfect example | Tens of millions of baht | General statement of value | Post Today, Ajarn Chawin column, 2018 [1] |
| Phra Somdej Wat Rakang "Uncle Phut" (large mould) | About 100 million baht | Estimate, not a recorded sale | Thairath English, 2026 [18] |
| Phra Nang Phaya, curved-knee mould | 5.8 million (the headline names no currency; the body text gives no price) | Headline figure for one piece, printed beside the words ป๋องสุพรรณการันตี ("guaranteed by Pong Suphan"); the article does not say whether it is a sale, an asking price or an estimate | Thairath, 2025 [12] |
| Phra Kamphaeng Sum Kor, middle mould | 2.5 million baht | Stated current price for one piece | Thairath, 2025 [15] |
These are single press reports, not market indices. For dated listing prices with sources, see our observed listing prices.
How collectors judge a Benjapakee piece
English Wikipedia notes that authentic amulets of this class are rare, that expert authentication is often required and that forgeries are common [14]. Each member has its own checks:
- Phra Somdej: Thai Wikipedia describes expert reading of mould and art style, with historical documents, plus inspection under roughly 10× magnification for shrinkage and settling in the body; it also lists an acid-reaction test, SEM and XRF among the methods for assessing age [9].
- Phra Nang Phaya: hand-cut frame edges, so the spacing of the triangle varies from piece to piece [12].
- Phra Phong Suphan (old-face mould): Thairath columnist Phlai Chumphon describes "waterfall" lines running from under the chin down through the figure to the lap as one of several marks; lines that are too sharp are mostly a sign of a copy, and most backs show spiral fingerprints. The columnist adds that today the body and its natural wear decide a case ahead of mould marks [13].
In 2023 Daily News announced a five-session course on genuine amulets for early 2024, taught by speakers from the Thai Amulet and Buddha Image Enthusiasts Association, with Benjapakee pieces as teaching examples [19]. A May 2025 Daily News column describes the Phong Suphan, Nang Phaya, Sum Kor and Rod pieces it shows as matching that association's accepted standard types [6].
Other "Benjapakee" sets: metal, Pidta and talismans
Thai writers also use "Benjapakee" for other five-piece sets of a single type:
- Metal amulets: a 2016 Post Today column titled "Benjapakee Yod Khunphon" covered a Benjapakee of metal amulets from old crypts, including Phra Phuttha Chinnarat Bai Sema, Phra Ruang Lang Lai Pha, Phra Therd Khon Nok and Phra Hu Yan [20].
- Phra Pidta: Thairath in 2026 referred to a "Benjapakee Phra Pidta" set (เบญจภาคีพระปิดตา) [21].
- Talismans (khrueang rang): in 2025 Thailand Post issued a New Year 2026 stamp set titled "Benjapakee Khrueang Rang", showing five talismans from five temples [22].
The classic five have also appeared on stamps. A Thai stamp set titled Phra Khrueang Benchaphakhi was issued on 20 June 2004, with five 9-baht designs, one for each member [23].
In the reference works used here, "Benjapakee" on its own still refers to the original five listed above [4], [14].