Biography of Luang Phor Boonma (Luang Pu Boonma Punnakko)
Wat Uthayan Natee (Samatha), Mueang District, Chonburi Province
Luang Phor Boonma Punnakko, also known by his ecclesiastical title Phra Khru Sophonkitchathorn, was the revered abbot of Wat Uthayan Natee (Samatha) in Chonburi. He was born on 19 August 1896 and passed away peacefully on 10 February 1982.
His monastic name Punnakko carries the meaning “one who is complete” or “one who embodies perfection,” a name that many felt truly reflected his character and way of life.
During his years as abbot, Luang Phor Boonma was deeply loved and respected by the local community. People from across Chonburi and nearby provinces came to pay their respects and seek his blessings. To many, he was more than a monk—he was like a father figure. Families who struggled to care for their children would sometimes bring them to him, and he would take them in, offering guidance, compassion, and support. His days were filled with acts of kindness, helping those in hardship without hesitation.
His virtue and abilities were widely acknowledged. Even Luang Phor Preuang, a former abbot of Wat Samatha, openly praised him, stating that Luang Phor Boonma was a monk of genuine skill and depth.
Wat Samatha itself has long been associated with the lineage of great Phra Pidta masters. It was once home to Luang Phor Khrip, regarded as one of the five most renowned Phra Pidta masters of Chonburi. A saying often repeated among devotees reflects this lineage well:
“Luang Phor Khrip created them, Luang Phor Khrip sustained them, and Luang Phor Khrip protected them.”
Luang Phor Boonma’s amulets were produced mainly in coin form. His powder amulets typically feature his own image, the Buddha in a beckoning posture, or Nang Kwak, the traditional goddess of fortune and trade. Only a small number of Phra Pidta amulets were made in his early years. These rare pieces were crafted from sacred powders blended with herbs, some finished with lacquer or gilding. They exist in convex- and flat-backed forms, in large, medium, and small sizes, most commonly seen in black or reddish-brown tones.
The materials used included old sacred powders inherited from Luang Phor Khrip, along with powders collected from other respected masters of his time. Because of this, Luang Phor Boonma’s Phra Pidta amulets are exceptionally rare—so rare that they are almost never seen in the open amulet market. Collectors who understand their value tend to keep them quietly, and even some experienced amulet circles in Chonburi are unaware of their existence.
Among those fortunate enough to possess them, these Phra Pidta amulets are traditionally associated with compassion, good fortune, protection, and success in business, qualities that devotees believe manifest clearly in daily life.