While living in Thailand on and off, I often notice large necklaces worn by Thai people, usually made of chains with one or several pendants, often containing images of the Buddha. Since I’m unfortunately not religious myself, attributes of other religions tend to attract me through their mystery and sense of distance. Besides that, I simply adore tiny boxes and objects kept under glass or inside special cases: reliquaries, hidden compartments, collections of natural specimens preserved behind glass.
The phrase “Amulet Market,” which I overheard completely by accident, immediately caught my attention. It sounded like something truly magical — something existing outside ordinary everyday reality. I desperately wanted to see it for myself.
On the map, the market was marked in one area, but the bike taxi brought me somewhere entirely different: a small market near a temple with extremely narrow passages between stalls and shelves packed from floor to ceiling with mysterious objects — from life-sized statues of elderly monks to fittings for those same amulet pendants.
The phrase “Amulet Market,” which I overheard completely by accident, immediately caught my attention. It sounded like something truly magical — something existing outside ordinary everyday reality. I desperately wanted to see it for myself.
On the map, the market was marked in one area, but the bike taxi brought me somewhere entirely different: a small market near a temple with extremely narrow passages between stalls and shelves packed from floor to ceiling with mysterious objects — from life-sized statues of elderly monks to fittings for those same amulet pendants.
Even though that visit brought me immense joy, I didn’t give up searching for THE market. And it absolutely did not disappoint.
Unlike the previous one, this place did not glow with golden statues. Instead, it was filled with cool dimness and long shadowy corridors inviting you deeper inside. And, at least to me, it felt like they sold not only religious objects and amulets there, but also items connected to local folklore, spiritual beliefs and superstition. Dolls painted red with sharp teeth, mummified (or perhaps resin-made) embryos and amulets of every possible kind, color and size.
I had chills running down my spine — some things I didn’t even want to touch, photograph or turn my back to.
And yet, despite all that, I left the place completely inspired, overwhelmed with excitement and full of new ideas.
Unlike the previous one, this place did not glow with golden statues. Instead, it was filled with cool dimness and long shadowy corridors inviting you deeper inside. And, at least to me, it felt like they sold not only religious objects and amulets there, but also items connected to local folklore, spiritual beliefs and superstition. Dolls painted red with sharp teeth, mummified (or perhaps resin-made) embryos and amulets of every possible kind, color and size.
I had chills running down my spine — some things I didn’t even want to touch, photograph or turn my back to.
And yet, despite all that, I left the place completely inspired, overwhelmed with excitement and full of new ideas.
