Buddhist Amulet Dealer Sentenced to 24 Months, Ordered to Pay 23 Million Baht
A prominent Buddhist amulet dealer in Ayutthaya was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment and ordered to pay 23 million baht after a high-value collection transaction involving bounced checks and allegations of deception.
On August 20, Ayutthaya Provincial Court delivered its verdict in a case brought by prosecutors against Panya Kairapakdigun, known as "Hoom Nakhon Pathom," a prominent Buddhist amulet dealer. The court sentenced him to four counts of six months imprisonment each, totaling 24 months, and ordered him to pay 23 million baht in damages after settlement negotiations between the parties failed.
Hoom had contested the case, seeking to have it treated as a civil matter, but the court imposed criminal penalties as charged. According to commentator Watcharapong Radomsitpattana, known as "U Krung Siam," this sentence adds to multiple prior convictions against Hoom, though he had been released on bail previously.
The case is linked to a Buddhist amulet collection valued at approximately 65 million baht. Dorn Tian Thawornwong, known as "Madam Gaeng," stated that she was introduced to two amulet dealers, "Mr. A" and "Mr. B," along with Hoom, before purchasing the amulets from Mr. A for 65 million baht and reselling them to Hoom and Mr. B for 75 million baht. The two shared costs equally, but checks from the transaction repeatedly bounced, leading to the dispute and legal proceedings.
Madam Gaeng has expressed suspicion that she may have been part of a deception scheme, noting that Mr. A claimed ownership of the amulets when they may have actually been borrowed from another amulet dealer near Wat Rai Khing temple for resale. Such allegations remain subject to legal review.
