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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;coin_nut, post: 4216022, member: 80148&quot;]I have lived here in Thailand for many years and have accumulated a small collection of Buddhist religious amulets. Some look like coins, many look like these pendants. Most are bronze, brass or copper, some are ceramic. Here are 2 depicting Luang Phor Koon. He was quite famous and I figured he was the top monk in this province, and his wat (Buddhist temple) was the #1 wat in Nakhon Ratchisima province. I only ever saw him once, and never spoke with him. He was famous for enjoying the smoking of his hand rolled cigars. [ATTACH=full]1079800[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1079801[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1079802[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1079803[/ATTACH] Here is part of a eulogy to him printed in the Bangkok Post:</p><p><br /></p><p>Luang Phor Koon was born on Oct 4, 1923, to a poor family in Ban Rai, tambon Kud Phiman in Dan Khun Thod district, Nakhon Ratchasima. After his mother died when he was 11 years old, his father took him to become a temple assistant at Wat Ban Rai in Dan Khun Thod, where he learned the Thai and Khmer languages from senior monks.</p><p>He entered the monkhood at the age of 21 and vowed to remain a monk for life to help develop the quality of life of the poor residents of Dan Khun Thod district.</p><p><br /></p><p>Luang Phor Koon learned Buddhism and meditation from revered monks in Nakhon Ratchasima. He made years-long pilgrimages to Laos and Cambodia to further practice meditation and promote Buddhism. He reportedly learned magic spells from one of his senior monks and mentors to protect him during his</p><p>pilgrimages.</p><p><br /></p><p>Luang Phor Koon gradually became famous, with many believing that the amulets and talismans he produced and the objects he used gave magical powers and could miraculously protect wearers from gunshots.</p><p><br /></p><p>His popularity led to considerable revenues from amulets and donations, which he</p><p>spent on the construction of schools, police stations, hospitals and temples. Media</p><p>reported that the overall expenditure exceeded 4 billion baht.</p><p>Luang Phor Koon once said that the money was not his, but came from donors</p><p>who wanted him to spend it in the public interest. He also told his followers not to</p><p>be obsessed with magical powers but to perform good deeds to enhance their</p><p>protection. His development projects brought the monk many royally-presented</p><p>honorary titles.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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