Thai PM Anutin under fire over US$90,000 amulet linked to disgraced monk

SA SCMP’s Asia deskSouth China Morning PostFiled 2026-09-11 · 06:31 GMTLean · Center-RightRead · 1 min

Reading time

1_min

Word count

144_words

Sources cited

1_cited

Entities identified

8_entities

Quality score

100_%

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Briefing Summary

AI-generated

NEWSAR · AI

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is facing social media criticism after photos emerged of him wearing a valuable amulet. The amulet was created by a senior monk currently involved in a fraud and sex scandal. The photos, taken in October 2023 when Anutin was deputy prime minister and interior minister, show him displaying the amulet to reporters and calling it an example of Thai "soft power." The amulet is a rare 2006 gold edition Jatukam Ramathep from the Nuea Duang series, reportedly valued at approximately US$90,700. It was produced by Wat Phutthaisawan in Ayutthaya province and is believed by collectors to bring good fortune.

Confidence 0.85Sources 1Claims 4Entities 8

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Article analysis

Model · rule-based

Framing

Political Strategy

Human Interest

Tone

Mixed Tone

AI-assessed

CalmNeutralAlarmist

Factuality

0.80 / 1.00

Factual

LowHigh

Sources cited

Limited

FewMany

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Key claims

4 extracted

The amulet was created by a senior monk involved in a fraud and sex scandal.

factualarticle

Confidence

1.00

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is facing social media scrutiny over photos showing him wearing a high-value amulet.

factualarticle

Confidence

1.00

The amulet is a rare 2006 Jatukam Ramathep gold edition, valued at approximately US$90,700.

factualarticle

Confidence

0.90

Anutin displayed the amulet to reporters in October 2023, calling it an example of Thai 'soft power'.

factualThaiRath

Confidence

0.90

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Full report

1 min read · 144 words

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has come under intense social media scrutiny after photos resurfaced showing him wearing a high-value amulet created by a senior monk now at the centre of a fraud and sex scandal.The photos were taken in October 2023 while Anutin – then serving as deputy prime minister and interior minister – was leading a group of Bhumjaithai Party MPs to watch the hit horror-comedy The Undertaker, local outlet ThaiRath reported. Anutin publicly displayed the Thai Buddhist amulet to reporters, praising it as an example of Thai “soft power”.The amulet in question is a rare 2006 Jatukam Ramathep gold edition from the collectible Nuea Duang (Elevating Fate) series, valued at around 3 million baht (US$90,700). Produced by Wat Phutthaisawan in Ayutthaya province, the pendant is prized among disciples and collectors who believe it brings good fortune, wealth and elevated social status.

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