webfact Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 Police Seize Contraband Child Spirit DollsBy Sasiwan MokkhasenStaff Reporter150 illegally imported haunted spirit dolls known as ‘Luk Thep’ are displayed Tuesday by police in Bangkok.BANGKOK — A haul of strange looking dolls was shown off by police today as the latest evidence of public obsession over a kind of haunted spirit doll.Police were dispatched to inspect shops selling Luk Thep in Bangkok’s largest wholesale markets Tuesday, where they confiscated 150 dolls from their sellers for smuggling them into Thailand without paying duties.Inspired by the latest obsessive trend, police were sent to markets in the Sampeng and Wang Burapa areas, as well as some shops in the capital’s Bang Khae district. The 150 dolls were seized from vendors who failed to show proper tax documents and taken to the police station.Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1453803341&typecate=06§ion= -- Khaosod English 2016-01-27 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenixdoglover Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 Is there something else we should be paying attention to? ... because this whole doll thing is one stupid distraction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candide Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 Is there something else we should be paying attention to? ... because this whole doll thing is one stupid distraction. The new draft charter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webfact Posted January 26, 2016 Author Share Posted January 26, 2016 Police raid stores selling Luk Thep dolls suspected to be contraband goodsBANGKOK: -- Police from the Central Investigation Bureau raided several shops in Sampeng, Wang Burapha and Bang Khae business districts believed to be major markets for Angel Child dolls or Luk Thep – the latest trendy toy among many Thais who believe in superstition.The raid was ordered by Pol Lt-Gen Thitirath Nongharnpitak, commissioner of the CIB, after several leading government figures including Justice Minister Paiboon Kumchaya and the national police chief had expressed concern with the popularity of the dolls to the extent that some criminal elements may use the dolls to smuggle drugs.Over 100 dolls were seized after the store owners failed to produce documents to show that they were properly imported. Police said failure to produce the evidences could land the owners to imprisonment up to five years and a huge fine on smuggling charges.The imported dolls are priced at between 500-5,000 baht. But the ones blessed by monks will cost an extra 500 baht.The Luk Thep dolls are said to have brought good luck and fortunes to several owners.Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/148250 -- Thai PBS 2016-01-27 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoFarAndNear Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 500-5000 Baht Import Tax and 500 extra for a Monk blessed Doll?! How the hell you can proof that a doll has been Monk blessed? And where do these Dolls come from? The whole story seems to be more and more a distracrion of Thailand real problems.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EyesWideOpen Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 As I said before, I would bet my life these silly things are made in China and imported here. So how can they possibly have a soul ????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Somtamnication Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 I wish they made a doll off me. You would win every time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doggie1955 Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Only in Thailand... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NongKhaiKid Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 (edited) Looks like the obsession with finding lucky numbers is about to have a major competitor. Edited January 27, 2016 by NongKhaiKid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trogers Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 As I said before, I would bet my life these silly things are made in China and imported here. So how can they possibly have a soul ????? Tell that to those still rubbing barks of trees for lucky lottery numbers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barnet Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 A mate of mine managed to pick up a Pangolin and some rare blue spiders from an open market in Bangkok. Add to that the amount of ivory that leaves here and youd assume the muppets would have more pressing things to look for other than Chuckie and co. I wonder if the dolls sulk when they don't get what they want or lose face if you expose their faults. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigeone Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 What will they do with them now?? Will they destroy them as any civilised country would do or,, maybe the senior police's Mia noi's need one !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman34014 Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 What will they do with them now?? Will they destroy them as any civilised country would do or,, maybe the senior police's Mia noi's need one !! Can't destroy them otherwise all those spirits inside will put a curse on all those who light the fire.....this is what the gullible Thai's will believe. Most likely they will end up on the sales stalls of people related to Policemen ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clockman Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Sounds like more monkey business. As the temples are selling these! You have got to love Thai Buddism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonaz Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Sounds like more monkey business. As the temples are selling these! You have got to love Thai Buddism. Never in this world? That's a story in itself! Post some pictures if you get time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesetat2013 Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 I feel really sorry for those police who are trapped in the police station with those cute little dolls! Can't imagine the chaos 150 angry children's souls would cause if they are aware they will never find a person to love and care for them. Next week expect news about Monks being called in to bless and calm those angry spirits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasset Tak Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 A mate of mine managed to pick up a Pangolin and some rare blue spiders from an open market in Bangkok. Add to that the amount of ivory that leaves here and youd assume the muppets would have more pressing things to look for other than Chuckie and co. I wonder if the dolls sulk when they don't get what they want or lose face if you expose their faults. Ivory is still legal to trade in Thailand as long as it's either old or domestic (from domesticated Thai elephants) ivory. Much of that is sold as ivory in tourist areas is actually either teeth, bone or resin so you need to look and test to be sure that it's actually ivory. One thing they do to the make either teeth or imported (illegal) ivory carvings look as old ivory is to boil them in oil and thereby give the material a patina. BTW. They have already arrested one drug smuggler with 200 yabaa pills in one of these dolls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardColeman Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 May as well shut all the markets if you want to see full importation documentation and taxes being paid ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwacker Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 I would like to visit the doll manufacturing plant and see how they get the spirit into the doll. I visited a beer making plant once and that was very interesting and tasty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iReason Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 "Prices start from 3,500 baht ($97) but can go up to as high as 13,000 baht ($362) for the limited edition dolls imported from the United States." http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/26/aviation/thai-smile-airways-luk-thep-doll/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trogers Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Sounds like more monkey business. As the temples are selling these! You have got to love Thai Buddism. Seems Thai monks are superseding the Wheel of Life by placing souls in dolls instead of letting them reincarnate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrTuner Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Those would be the knockoffs with Burmese souls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulic Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Just wondering what the duty is on a spirit. Does the spirit enter the doll after it arrives in Thailand making it more valuable or in China necessitating a higher duty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaywalker Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Is there something else we should be paying attention to? ... because this whole doll thing is one stupid distraction. Just show a screening of Chucky movies. It'd be a hundred YEARS before the superstitious Thai's ever bought another doll if they'd seen Chucky. Problem solved. This whole doll thing is creeping me out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrry Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 As I said before, I would bet my life these silly things are made in China and imported here. So how can they possibly have a soul ????? Imiigration should look at this.......lock the ones without passports up in IDC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaywalker Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 (edited) "Prices start from 3,500 baht ($97) but can go up to as high as 13,000 baht ($362) for the limited edition dolls imported from the United States." http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/26/aviation/thai-smile-airways-luk-thep-doll/index.html How to make some money off this.... Find out who the Luk Thep manufacturer is. Short sell their stock and start posting Chucky on all the popular Thai FB pages and forums. Add in a Youtube video of an Asian guy posing as a Monk putting a curse on Luk Thep dolls, urging them to become Chucky. Add in an astrologer who predicts the date all Luk Thep dolls will come to life and murder their owners. Short sell the day before the astrolger's announcement. Sales of this fad doll would drop to ZERO posthaste. If you don't know what short selling a stock is, odds are, you own a Luk Thep doll. Edited January 27, 2016 by jaywalker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMA_FARANG Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 As I reported in another forum post topic regarding this.... The real reason these dolls were seized is that a similar doll was found at the airport in Chiang Mai filled with 400 Meth tablets stashed in it. The doll was apparently to be used to smuggle the drugs in or out of Thailand....but for some reason it was abandoned in a suitcase in the Chiang Mai airport parking lot. Police doing an investigation of the suitcase left behind in the airport parking area found the drugs in the doll on opening the suitcase for a security investigation. Probably will see the story in tomorrow's news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuestHouse Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 As I said before, I would bet my life these silly things are made in China and imported here. So how can they possibly have a soul ????? Tell that to those still rubbing barks of trees for lucky lottery numbers... I have photos of this I took some years ago of crowds rubbing talcum powder on the bark of a tree near Nong Nooch Gardern's (Chonburi Province). I thought it odd, it certainly made good photographs, and as you suggest an insight into the superstitions of the local people. Superstitions that where 'black catted' by the local underground lottery dons who, believing they were loosing money, burned down the tree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outsider Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 I can understand people getting images and statues of Buddha or Guan Yin blessed by monks, to 'turn it on', for want of a better term. Same perhaps, with priests blessing crucifixes. But 'Buddhist' monks blessing dolls with 'other-worldly spirits'? That's not Buddhism at all. Maybe Taoism, but I'm quite sure it's not an actual Buddhist practice. Any Buddhism experts here in TVF who can clarify this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaywalker Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 I can understand people getting images and statues of Buddha or Guan Yin blessed by monks, to 'turn it on', for want of a better term. Same perhaps, with priests blessing crucifixes. But 'Buddhist' monks blessing dolls with 'other-worldly spirits'? That's not Buddhism at all. Maybe Taoism, but I'm quite sure it's not an actual Buddhist practice. Any Buddhism experts here in TVF who can clarify this? No expert, but Thai's will say 'rote dang' = 'car red' instead of 'red car'. They do the same in Spanish. So instead of saying Synthesized Buddhism, which is what I'd call this, I will just say it backwards = B.S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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