Thailand Life Tools

Thai amulets

HOW

Thais wear small Buddhist images and charms, often on a chain. This page gives the names, the customs people describe, and the official export rules. It says nothing about what an amulet does.

EXPORT PERMIT
ศก.6
IMAGE FEE
฿100–300 (made from 1947)
NO PERMIT
up to 7 yrs

Export figures are the Fine Arts Department’s own pages; the amulet descriptions are from an encyclopedia.

Sources read on 6 November 2026; export rules are official, amulet descriptions are not

Thai amulets (phra khrueang) include small Buddha images and charms; three common names are phra somdet, khun phaen and phra kring.

The Fine Arts Department requires a permit to take antiquities and art objects out of Thailand, and a Buddha image needs its own application. Its two pages do not mention amulets, so we cannot say whether a given piece counts.

Prices run from pocket change to very high (Time Out, 2025). Telling a genuine piece from a fake is specialist work that this site does not cover.

Common types

Looks and materials as Wikipedia describes them; nothing about effect.

  • Phra somdet พระสมเด็จ: Mostly Buddha figures without carved eyes, nose or mouth. Wikipedia lists temple soil, pollen and monks’ hair among materials.
  • Khun phaen ขุนแผน: A Buddha figure in a meditation (samadhi) hand position; some carry the figure of the folk character Khun Phaen.
  • Phra kring พระกริ่ง: A seated metal Buddha figure with a bead sealed inside.

How Thais are said to wear them

Wikipedia: for most amulets, wear them on the neck or above the waist, never below it, and take them off to bathe. These are customs it describes, not rules.

Buying

Time Out (November 2025): “Prices span pocket change to mortgage territory,” and collectors look pieces over on the spot.

Whether a piece is genuine is a question for specialists. This site does not say how to tell, and names no seller.

Taking one out of Thailand

From the Fine Arts Department’s two pages.

Nobody may send or take antiquities or art objects out of Thailand without a permit from the Director-General of the Fine Arts Department, registered or not.

For a Buddha image: application form ศก.6, a letter giving the reason for taking it out, your passport copy if you carry it yourself, a guarantee letter from a religious body or an official of rank 4 or above, and two 3×5-inch colour photos. Inspection is at 10:00 and 14:00 and the permit takes two working days.

Taking an object out without a permit is punishable by up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to ฿700,000 (one to ten years and up to ฿1,000,000 for a registered object).

Neither page mentions amulets (phra khrueang). Whether a small amulet counts as an antiquity or art object is not stated, so ask the office.

Fee for a Buddha image made from 1947 (B.E. 2490) on, by height

  • Up to 50 cm: ฿100
  • 50–100 cm: ฿200
  • Over 100 cm: ฿300

National Museums Office, 81/1 Si Ayutthaya Road, Dusit; Mon–Fri 08:30–16:30 (closed 12:00–13:00); tel. 0 2281 6766.

Tha Phra Chan amulet market

Time Out lists the Tha Phra Chan amulet market at 1 Sake Alley, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, and says buyers examine pieces on the spot.

Sources disagree on opening hours, so none is given here.

STEP BY STEP

Before you buy or pack one

  1. Learn the Thai name

    Ask for the type by its Thai name (below); “amulet” is phra khrueang.

  2. Expect a very wide price range

    Time Out describes prices from pocket change to mortgage territory.

  3. Ask before packing anything old or valuable

    The Fine Arts Department decides what needs a permit; its office phone and hours are below.

  4. For a Buddha image, apply in advance

    Form ศก.6, a letter giving the reason, a guarantee letter from a religious body or an official, and two photos; the permit takes two working days.

Questions

Can I take an amulet home?
The Fine Arts Department requires a permit for antiquities and art objects and a separate application for Buddha images. Its pages do not mention amulets, so ask the office before packing a valuable or old piece.
How should an amulet be worn?
Wikipedia describes wearing it on the neck or above the waist and taking it off to bathe. These are described customs, not rules.
How can I tell if one is genuine?
That is specialist work and this site does not cover it. It also names no shop.