MONK'S COOKIES MAKE THEIR MARK

Jatukham snack manages to rock amulet craze

Story by PIYAPORN WONGRUANG (www.bangkokpost.com)

Bakery staff press "Jatukham" cookies that mock the public craze for Jatukarm Ramathep talismans.

Revered monk Phra Payom Kalayano, who introduced the ''Jatukham'' cookies to mock the craze for the Jatukarm Ramathep talismans, has shrugged off the uproar by producers of the highly prized amulets.

The monk said he viewed the angry response positively. It showed the cookies were a success. Otherwise the amulet producers would not be up in arms.

''I learned that there were positive and negative responses to the cookies,'' said Phra Payom.

''My cookies are intended to bring back people's consciousness. They can have faith in sacred items, but they should also be sensible in leading their lives.''

For months, the monk had watched the craze for the talismans with growing concern. He said the talisman worshippers were drifting away from the Lord Buddha's teachings, which accentuate self-reliance and good deeds.

People were coming to believe the talisman had supernatural powers to bring wealth.

''This will lead people to nothing but losing their rationality. It is unhealthy for the religion if we allow this trend to go on like this,'' the monk said.

He had some help from his followers in launching the cookies, which he called Jatukham, playing on the talisman's name but altering the spelling.

Somboon Ijayavorakul, chief executive officer of the graphic design company Watta, helped design the four-bite biscuits.

Mr Somboon said he appreciated the monk for his attempts to educate Buddhists, particularly through his columns in a newspaper..

He got the idea from a comic strip that featured a character munching a talisman he had mistakenly thought was a cookie.

The thought-provoking cookies resemble the popular talismans, and are the same size. One side bears the word ''Jatukham'' with a gold leaf, and the other the words Ou Ar Ka Sa, as well as Phra Payom's signature.

The four words are taken from the Lord Buddha's teachings, reminding Buddhists to maintain self reliance, from which everybody can be rich.

The words mean diligence, saving money, association with good and moral people, and being simple and modest.

''If it was not for Phra Payom, this would never happen.

''He is the kind of person who is capable of understanding and embracing new and innovative ideas,'' said Mr Somboon.

The monk's assistants are also capping the production to prevent any misunderstanding that the cookies are being sold for profit.

Phra Payom does not intend to put the biscuits on supermarket shelves. They come packed in sets, four to an aluminium can. People can buy them by contacting Wat Suan Kaew in Nonthaburi's Bang Yai district. They get a free dharma lecture CD with each purchase.

However, the queue is so long that today's orders will be delivered early next month.

The temple's clerk said orders have gradually eased, not like in the first few weeks. This may reflect the declining popularity of the talisman itself, she said.

''If people were more conscious about the craze for Jatukarm, the cookies' popularity would decline as well,'' she said.

However, Sataporn Assatarakul, a 47-year-old customer, said she did not believe the biscuit buyers and talisman worshippers were of the same group.

Many purchase the cookies for their friends in the hope of spreading Buddhist teachings.

''We are trying to help. If our friends can think a little more about what is good for their lives, that is good.

''But if not, we just think of the purchase as a chance to make merit, while our friends have nice cookies to eat,'' said Ms Sataporn.