Wai Kru Sak Yant

Wai Kru

Sak Yant Festival outside of Bangkok

Here’s a closer look at an interesting Thai Festival I attended that gives you an intense look into Thai culture. First we need to talk about Magical Thai Tattoos called Sak Yants.

The Sak Yant tattoo is a traditional style bamboo tattoo that are known to offer protection, fortune, good luck and charisma to the bearer. It is believed that the power of the sacred tattoos decreases with time. People with Sak Yants are able to recharge or re-power their tattoos if they return to their master. This has turned into a yearly festival, where Sak Yant masters celebrate with their devotees at Wai Kru to pay respect to the teacher, and infuse new magic into thousands of Sak Yants at the same time. Thousands of people come to Wat Bang Phra temple, where a stage is set up and Thai Buddhist monks sit and perform rituals in front of the crowds. People come here as they believe that these rituals will help to recharge the protection powers of their tattoos.  Buddhist chants and prayers are repeated by the monks throughout the morning.

This festival is fascinating to watch (for those who can stand the crowds) Periodically many of the attendees rise up, in trance like states and run for the stage.  The ceremony cumulates with a large finale, where dozens of people become possessed by the Thai tattoos they possess and come towards the stage in the form of their tattoos, be it a crocodiles, tigers.

Wai Kru Sak Yant festival is held every year in March outside of Bangkok.