Gold Casting Artisan Clarifies 50-Baht Golden Buddha Relic: Insists Work Was Completed and Handed Over, Requests Internal Inspection
A master goldsmith denies switching a 50-baht golden Buddha relic with brass, claiming he completed the work and handed it over to the temple in 2016, and has requested the relic be cut open for internal inspection to prove it contains gold
On November 1, 2025, a master goldsmith from a casting workshop released a statement regarding the case where a customer brought in a golden Buddha relic weighing nearly 50 baht for inspection, only to discover that the gold donated by relatives had turned into brass worth only 2-3% of the original weight. The artisan explained that around 2016, after completing an earlier Buddha statue casting, he proceeded to cast a new golden relic using approximately 50 baht of gold donated by local residents. However, due to insufficient gold to completely fill the mold on the day of the ceremony, he poured what he had and then gave the mold to the abbot for safekeeping. The Buddha statue was later returned to the workshop for finishing, and an additional brass relic was cast—the same piece now making headlines. The artisan then brought this back to the temple with a melting pot to remelt the gold that remained unfilled in the original mold and complete it properly, pouring the melted gold into the brass relic before sealing it with plaster and handing it to the abbot. The casting master stated he cannot understand why reports claim the workshop switched pieces with a counterfeit, and requested that the relic be cut open for internal inspection to verify whether it contains gold inside. If it is indeed the same piece, he believes the inspection would clear his name.
