Family Shocked as Gold Buddha Hair Ornament Turns to Brass After 8 Years, Contains Only 2-3% Gold
A family's sacred Buddha hair ornament donated with nearly 50 baht of gold turned out to be mostly brass after testing revealed only 2-3% gold content, prompting an abbot to file a police report over the 3.5-4 million baht loss.
On April 30, 2026, a man brought in a Buddha hair ornament supposedly weighing nearly 50 baht of gold for inspection. Eight years earlier, the family had contributed 45 baht of gold bars to a merit-making ceremony where a Buddhist abbot added another 2 baht, and village relatives donated additional gold jewelry, with all contributions intended for casting this sacred ornament. After suspicions arose about the quantity and quality of gold in the ornament, they consulted with the abbot before having it tested. X-ray examination at Namo gold shop revealed only 2-3% actual gold content, with the remainder consisting of other metals like copper and zinc that resemble brass. Further surface inspection confirmed it was entirely brass, not gold. The actual value of the gold that should have been in the ornament would have been approximately 3.5-4 million baht, representing a substantial loss. The abbot is now preparing to file a police report to pursue legal action against those responsible.
