The Boys from Wat Pradoo

Standing tall at 12 inches in height, these awesome Fortune Maker Boys from Wat Pradoo Samut Songkhram was consecrated by Luang Phor Maha Surasak from mid of BE 2557 (CE 2014).  It took almost half a year for this Guman Kwal Samut to be released to those who have made prior bookings direct to the temple.

If you were in Bangkok and wanted to visit a nearby floating market, the one that is no less popular among tourists and very crowded is Amphawa Floating Market in Amphawa District of Samut Songkhram Province.  It’s only a 1 hour 30 minutes drive from Bangkok.   This is where the inscription 'Wat Pradoo Pra Are Ramlung, Amphawa' is printed at the base where these Guman Kwal Samut is originated. (Note: Pronunciation of Kwal or Keow).

We have written quite extensively about Guman Thong talismans in previous articles. This story edition will add to our collection of Thai's legendary golden child.  Guman Thong loves jasmine, roses and carnation flowers. Therefore, only this 3 types of flowers are used as background in all photographs associated to them.

Katha Guman Kwal Samut
Namo Tassa Bhagavato, Arahato, Samma, Sambuddhasa (x3)

Kitawin YaNo
Asatoh Sapokaya
Sangha Bang 
Maihang Kiti
Mana MunYang
It Wa Sawa Piyo
NaMa PaTa
Kit Ke Runi
Kit Tang Ke Ti Sit Kang
Ru Bang Nimit Tang
Gumaro Wa
Guman Kwal (or Keow) Samut
Aka Cha Hit
A Hit A Hit
NaMa PaTa

To begin with, very interestingly this Guman Thong caught our eyes at first sight simply because it looks more like a Thai decorative ornament. They're like a perfect guardian angel with folded arms standing guard in front of your main entrance doorway. That's the first thought that came into our mind.

Unlike any other Guman Thong we've come across, they may look "scary" or "intimidating" with lots of Yant inscriptions written on the body that can easily frighten away your visitors and in-laws who are ill informed about Guman's background. Certainly these boys will convince you to bring them home.  Not just 1 of them. But 2 of them making them a stunning pair of house guardian that can be easily disguised as Siamese art decor.  What do you think?

This is also the 1st batch ever created with a mixture of sacred bronze material inserted with holy powder at the base. Quantity made for these treasured fortune boys is 3333 units that comes along with individual serial numbering.  Mostly likely there will not be any remake in the future because Luang Phor Maha Surasak seldom reproduce amulet talismans he had created before. Usually it's the first, and also the last if we understood him correctly.

Coincidently Luang Phor Maha Surasak was also invited to bless a new batch of Phra Khun Paen for Wat Lahanrai Rayong a few months earlier spearheaded by the abbot Luang Phor Choy.  Perhaps in the mind of Luang Phor Maha Surasak that the batch of Khun Paen Wat Lahanrai needed his helpful boy (if you know the legend about Guman Thong's story).  Anyhow, we do not want to speculate the reason behind the making of this first Guman Thong batch of Wat Pradoo.

Blessing Ceremony at Wat Lahanrai BE 2557

The consecration and blessing of Guman Kwal Samut at Wat Pradoo lasted for 3 months to make these boys efficacious to do what it is supposed to do as a Guman Thong. With a lot of Metta infused into each and every boys, finally they're ready to be brought home by respective "adopted parents". Just make sure your wife or girlfriend thinks it's a nice decorative statue.


Getting Ready To Go Home 

The army of boys are eagerly waiting to be packed into a box (at the far end side) before they leave Wat Pradoo. Some are packed and shipped to neighboring countries like Malaysia and Singapore while others will go to different families elsewhere in Thailand.

Just arrived in time for the year end holidays, these handsome boys are not the average X'Mas toys for kids. Guman is venerated in traditional Thai culture for their supernormal abilities to do wonders in the most unexpected situation.  Waking you up before someone reach your door, making sure there're no ants, annoying mosquitoes and lizards in your house, etc.  They are also excellent help when you request them to find things you have lost or misplaced. Such abilities are depending on how you treat and connected with them.

The dressings of Guman Thong follows the traditional Siamese fashion called JongKraben which is like a sarong. The above picture circa 1870 exhibit this fashionable style in those olden days. Most classical designs of Guman Thong will be decorated with ornaments and wearing antiquated old style JongKraben thus representing its very unique Siamese identity. Astoundingly aesthetic from an art collector's angle.  

Definitely Guman Thong are not for those who have phasmophobia or fear of ghost. Guman Thong is actually the manifestation of an entity which are blessed by Buddhist monks. Guman Thong created at Buddhist temples will hold the precept not to hurt people but rather to help.  There're a lot of misconceptions about these little spirit kids simply due to superstitious and lack of understanding. We will explain more in detail later on the variation of making.

Art Deco 

This will give you some ideas of how versatile this Guman Kwal Samut can easily blend into any contemporary home environment as an art deco.   Apart from their supernormal power which is inside every Guman Thong to provide assistance to their adopted benefactor, they are also excellent protector. As far as we can sense, these happy boys are from the heavenly type known as Guman Thep, not the underworld category.

Heavenly and Underworld Come Together

There are three methods in creating three types of Guman Thong spirits. These three methods are;

1. Some masters create Guman Thong by using soils from seven graveyards combined with "Prai Guman Dust", which is soft dust of children's bone ashes. Guman Thong in this category will be fierce and is extremely powerful. He can inspire both good and bad things. The spirits inhibiting inside this Guman Thong usually comes from the graves or it might be a child spirit from bone ashes. This kind of Guman Thong requires good attention and worship. The spirits inside the statue of Guman Thong can also grow up like any ordinary children and they have feelings too.

2. Guman Thong can be created by using ordinary soils, sacred wood or metals by inviting the good spirits or Angels to inhibit inside the statue. Guman Thong of this type is also referred to as 'Guman Thep'.  Guman Thep does not always show off their power not like the first type made from Prai Guman Prai dust because the Angel spirits do not need ordinary food to grow up. The masters or creators will usually recite an incantation over this kind of Guman Thong with other well-known Guman talismans such as those from Luang Phor Poon of Wat PaiLom, Luang Phor Tim of Wat Lahanrai, Luang Phor Tae of Wat Sam Ngan.

3. Guman Thong can also be created by using wood from withered trees, especially, from withered Ruk son and star gooseberry trees, because people thinks that the withered wood is sacred in itself so there is no need to recite any incantation over. Using the withered wood, people believe will make Guman Thong sacred and powerful. The masters will put a spell on it to create a spirit inside the wooden statue. In conclusion, the live spirits inhibiting inside this kind of Guman Thong does not come from graves or heaven but they are created by the power of the masters' spell. This kind of spirits can be called "Prai". They will not grow up and always appear as children's spirits. The owners of this Guman Thong may or may not worship him with food because "Prai" in this Guman Thong will not know how to hurt anyone. Yet, if they ignore Kuman Tong completely, the power inside the statue will gradually disappear. On the other hand, if the owners take good care of their talismans, Guman Thong's power will increase and he can more effectively bring good lucks to the owners.

These three schools of taught in making Guman Thong had been explained thus far. The first type is from wandering spirits, the second from heaven, and the last comes from the power of the master creator's spells.  These three types of Guman Thong from each school of taught appeared differently in terms of characteristics. Guman Thong with the spirits from graves have the strongest power, while the second one is sacred but do not always show off their power, and the third may sometimes appear to people's eyes but do not have very strong power.

Thus, this Guman Kwal Samut is classified under the 2nd method under the Heavenly angel category. It is a good start for those who are spectrophobia and wanted to try the first time to have a golden child. Definitely this Guman Kwal Samut is for new beginners.


The Legend Continues

Khun Paen had a very powerful Guman Thong not because of the arcane magic induced in the making.  The most significant thing that Khun Paen did was treating his Guman Thong just like his own son.  He did not consider his Guman Thong as a talisman nor a helper in winning over the enemies in warfare. Therefore, we should treat all Guman Thong lovingly just like a small child in a family. The power of your Guman Thong will surely increase gradually over time.

Owning a nice, obedient GumanThong is like owning a piece of Thai history following the legendary Khun Paen's epic story.


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