Biography and Legacy of Ajahn Nong
(Phra Ajahn Nong Dhammabhūto)
Wat Sai Khao • Born B.E. 2462 (1919) — Passed B.E. 2542 (1999) • Revered master of Luang Phor Thuad amulets • Honored as the “King of Takrut”
Across the deep South of Thailand, the name Ajahn Nong carries a particular quiet weight. Born in B.E. 2462 (1919) and departing in B.E. 2542 (1999), he is remembered as a calm, exacting monk whose work bound together devotion, lineage, and craft. He trained first at Wat Narnalu, studying alongside future luminaries such as Ajahn Tim and Luang Phor Kern. That companionship with Ajahn Tim drew him to Wat Changhai, the heartland of Luang Phor Thuad, where shared practice became shared responsibility: Ajahn Tim would become abbot of Wat Changhai; Ajahn Nong would lead nearby Wat Sai Khao, while continuing to serve as Deputy Abbot of Wat Changhai until B.E. 2534. He returned often to assist with temple affairs and major consecrations.
Their journeys also extended outward—to teachers like Luang Phor Nak of Wat Rakang, a direct spiritual descendant of Somdej Toh. Under such guidance, Ajahn Nong absorbed not only meditation and Vinaya but the careful sciences of sak yant, sacred powders, and the choreography of phutthaphisek rites. During the 1950s–60s he participated in the celebrated B.E. 2497 Luang Phor Thuad issue, coming to know its materials, timings, and prayers from the inside.
When Ajahn Tim passed in B.E. 2511 (1968), Ajahn Nong set aside further production of Luang Phor Thuad amulets. He would not invite the appearance of replacing his mentor. Only in B.E. 2514 (1971), after a dream in which Ajahn Tim urged him to continue the sacred work, did he resume. The batches that followed—most notably B.E. 2514, 2534, and 2540—were shaped by fidelity to the old standard. For the B.E. 2514 issue he assembled ingredients nearly identical to B.E. 2497 (the original powders from that era having been exhausted by B.E. 2505), and took personal responsibility for preparing the sacred mix.
Among the most discussed is the B.E. 2534 “M16” batch, whose reputation for resilience traveled quickly after field tests reported survival against rifle fire. Another landmark came in B.E. 2540 with a 9-piece Luang Phor Thuad set, limited to 999 sets, each image embedding a solid gold takrut in the base and accompanied by a special “cartridge takrut” (Narai Ban Norn), the “limitless transformation” charm. Those who were present tell of a night ritual in which the spirit of Luang Phor Thuad seemed to cast an immense shadow over the walls—one of those moments that communities keep and pass forward.
His authority in takrut was unmatched—hence the honorific “King of Takrut.” Devotees speak, too, of a more hidden transmission: in deep meditation he is said to have received an esoteric heart-mantra from Mae Nang Jam. The technique, closely echoing the anti-black-magic methods of Luang Phor Doem of Wat Nong Pho, was believed to repel and reflect malice. He taught the ethic—purity, restraint, compassion—but kept the mantra itself unspoken. With his passing, that secret is said to have gone with him.
Lineage, Marketplace, and Caution
Because his work sits so close to the Wat Changhai lineage, amulets from his period often appeared at both Wat Sai Khao and Wat Changhai. High demand brought high imitation: counterfeits are common, especially for the B.E. 2497–2505 generations. Unscrupulous sellers sometimes present later temple-issued pieces (e.g., post-B.E. 2539) as earlier Changhai issues. Genuine B.E. 2497 pieces command prices well above THB 200,000 and can be difficult to obtain even with means; their cultural presence is such that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was widely known to wear one.
Passing and Enduring Presence
Ajahn Nong passed peacefully in B.E. 2542 (1999), aged eighty. What remains is both tangible and not: amulets born of careful ritual, and a way of practice that joins humility to exactness. For many collectors and devotees, his pieces are less objects than reminders—the lineage is alive when faith is lived.