Ex-Police General Disputes Buddha Amulet Valuation in TV Appearance
A retired police general disputes an amulet expert's televised valuation claims, pointing to contradictions with the expert's own published book on a rare imperial-series gold Buddha amulet. He's offering 100,000 baht to anyone who can prod
A retired police general and well-known amulet collector, who previously valued a solid gold Buddha amulet at 300 million baht, has expressed frustration with a prominent amulet expert over recent television statements about pricing and specifications. On July 17, 2025, Pol. Lt. Gen. Somsak Chai Amornsongjareun responded after the amulet expert appeared on a television program discussing a rare imperial-series gold Buddha amulet, claiming it must feature specific flower petal designs on the front and stamped garuda codes and the year 2411 on the back with embedded pins. The general argues that the expert's stated valuation conflicts with information in the expert's own published book, which valued the amulet at only 1 billion baht rather than the 3 billion mentioned on air.
Somsak Chai explained that he has long respected the expert and even allowed him to examine his own imperial-series amulet in January 2022, receiving praise and advice to preserve it carefully. He supported publication of the expert's recent book issued for the expert's birthday in October 2024 and is listed as a donor in it. However, he contends that the televised statements contradict the book's own text at pages 122–123, which acknowledges uncertainty about how many versions of the imperial-series amulet actually exist, creating confusion among followers.
Regarding pricing, Somsak Chai points out that page 128 of the expert's book itself states that a wealthy Japanese collector purchased an imperial-series gold amulet for 3 billion baht per unit, contradicting the expert's televised claim of 1 billion baht. To resolve the matter and locate other genuine specimens, Somsak Chai announced he will immediately pay 100,000 baht to anyone who can produce a gold amulet matching his own, subject to verification through X-ray fluorescence scanning, high-magnification imaging, and assessment by the PSDA Standard Institute or other recognized authorities—and provided the mass of the specimen does not vary by more than 10 percent from his own. He believes the amulet was genuinely produced but contends that the exact number of variants remains unknown and can only be determined through scientific material analysis and age verification of the ancient gold.
