Famous Amulet Dealer Accused of Swapping Gold Buddha
A prominent Thai amulet dealer allegedly swapped a solid gold Buddhist amulet for a fake during authentication in August 2026, later settling with the 60-year-old owner for 9 million baht after she discovered the switch through comparison p
A scandal has erupted in Thailand's amulet-trading community after a popular Facebook page exposed allegations of misconduct by a well-known dealer. On August 5, 2026, a 60-year-old woman brought a collection of amulets to the prominent dealer for authentication and valuation, hoping to sell them if the price was right. The dealer selected 14 amulets and offered 2.5 million baht, which she accepted. He then requested to open the frames of some pieces for closer inspection and asked to further verify whether one amulet was solid gold. The owner agreed, and after testing, the dealer informed her the amulet was not gold. However, before consulting this dealer, the woman had previously shown the same amulet to another expert, who had confirmed it as solid gold and recommended she preserve it carefully.
When told the amulet was not gold, the woman cancelled the deal and the dealer returned the pieces. The woman became deeply concerned, fortunately having taken photos of the amulets beforehand. The next day, she brought the disputed amulet back to the first expert, who examined it again and told her: "This is not solid gold, but the amulet in your earlier photo is definitely 100 percent solid gold." The woman now suspected she had not received the same amulet back. When she called the dealer to confront him, he initially denied and refused to acknowledge the issue, but after she mentioned she had photos for comparison, he said he would investigate.
Later, the dealer contacted her, claiming an employee had switched the amulets and offering to take responsibility. He then proposed 9 million baht to settle the matter. This offer raised public questions: if 14 amulets were worth only 2.5 million baht, why would compensation for a single disputed amulet reach 9 million baht? The elderly woman, weary of conflict, accepted the 9 million baht settlement. The amulet at the centre of the dispute is a Luang Pu Tim 8-round coin-shaped amulet in solid gold with lacquer inlay.
