Olympic prep includes temples, monks and amulets

For many Thai athletes, their skills alone may not be enough to bring sporting success so they turn to spiritual powers for help.

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The taekwondo team visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha last week. They are, from left, Rangsiya Nisaisom, coach Choi Young Seok, Thai taekwondo boss Pimol Srivikorn, his adviser Preecha Tortrakul, Chanatip Sonkham and Pen-ek Karaket.

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Thai hopefuls turn to spiritual help

Wanchai Rujawongsanti

For many Thai athletes, their skills alone may not be enough to bring sporting success so they turn to spiritual powers for help.

Before a major international event, and particularly the Olympics, it has become a tradition for several sport associations to take their athletes to holy places and/or revered monks.

Also a large number of athletes bring with them amulets or sacred items.

The most popular places are Bangkok's Temple of the Emerald Buddha and City Pillar Shrine and the most respected amulet is that of Luang Pu Thuad.

Last week, the three Thai taekwondo exponents who will take part in the London Games – Pen-ek Karaket (men's 58kg), Chanatip Sonkham (women's 49kg) and Rangsiya Nisaisom (women's 57kg) – worshipped at the Emerald Buddha, City Pillar Shrine and Brahma Shrine.

The trip was led by Taekwondo Association of Thailand (TAT) president Pimol Srivikorn who also took his athletes to meet Phra Tham Methacharn, deputy abbot of Wat Sommanat.

The monk sprinkled holy water on them and gave each fighter a Nang Phya Chitlada amulet.

Pimol himself also gave the athletes sacred powder collected from the City Pillar Shrine when it was under renovation in 2006.

"The sacred items will help protect the athletes and bring them good luck and success," said Pimol.

"We visited Luang Phor Khoon four years ago and Buttree [Puedpong] went on to win a silver at the 2008 Olympics."

The taekwondo team did not get a blessing from the revered monk this time because the abbot of Wat Banrai in Nakhon Ratchasima is ill.

Also last week, the weightlifting team, with seven Olympians, travelled from Chiang Mai to worship the Emerald Buddha and the City Pillar Shrine.

Pimsiri Sirikaew, the kingdom's best hope in the sport who will take part in the women's 58kg class, carries an amulet of Luang Phor Daeng of Wat Khao Bandai-it in Phetchaburi.

Siriwimol Pramongkol, a competitor in the women's 48kg category, brings with her to London a Phra Kring Samritphol amulet (which loosely means an amulet for success) from Bangkok's Wat Yannawa.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, weightlifter Prapawadee Jaroenrattanatarakoon might have had some supernatural help from a Hindu god.

After she won gold, Bussaba Yodbangtoey, then president of the Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association, proudly showed reporters a four-inch high Ganesha in her handbag.

The three Thai boxers in London – Kaew Pongprayoon (49kg), Sailom Ardee (60kg) and Chatchai Butdee (52kg) – each recently received two amulets, one is Luang Pu Thuad and the other bearing the King's image in the monkhood.

Four years ago, Somjit Jongjohor carried an amulet of the King in the monkhood and he won the flyweight gold.

Also in Bejing, a journalist gave boxer Manus Boonjumnong a Luang Pu Thuad amulet before a tough fight. Manus stunned his opponent to win the bout and he went on to claim a silver medal.

Kaew has three amulets with him – Luang Pu Thuad, Luang Phor Khoon and Phra Soomkor.

Chatchai says he prays every night, while Sailom has a piece of cloth from his mother's sarong as his sacred item.

Temple of the Emerald Buddha – วัดพระแก้ว
hopeful – someone who wants to succeed or who seems likely to win  ผู้ที่ต้องการประสบความสำเร็จ
spiritual – religious, or related to religious issues เกี่ยวกับศาสนา
athlete – someone who is good at sports and takes part in sports competitions นักกีฬา
skill – the ability to do something well, usually as a result of experience and training ฝีมือ
tradition – a very old custom, belief, or story ประเพณี, ขนบธรรมเนียม
association – an official group of people who have joined together for a particular purpose สมาคม
holy – important in a moral and religious way ศักดิ์สิทธิ์
revered – highly respected and admired ซึ่งแสดงความเคารพนับถือ
amulet – a small object that some people wear around their neck as a protection against evil, bad luck, disease etc เครื่องราง
sacred – considered to be holy ศักดิ์สิทธิ์
item – a single article or object  รายการ, รายการสิ่งของ
City Pillar Shrine – ศาลหลักเมือง
respected – admired by many people for your qualities or achievements   ที่เคารพ
exponent – someone who is very good at a particular skill or activity and is an example to other people ตัวแทน, แบบฉบับ, ผู้สนับสนุน
worship – the activity of showing respect and love for a good บูชา
deputy – a person whose rank is immediately below that of the leader of an organisation รอง
abbot – the head monk at a temple เจ้าอาวาส
sprinkle – to shake small amounts of a liquid or a substance over the surface of something โปรย
collect – to gather together a group/set/amount of things, often of the same sort รสะสม, เก็บรวบรวม
renovation – making something old look new again by repairing and improving it, especially a building การปฏิสังขรณ์, การทำให้มีสภาพดีเหมือนเดิม, การบูรณะ, การซ่อมแซมใหม่
blessing – God's help and protection, or a prayer asking for this การสวดให้พร, การให้พร
competitor – a person, team or company that is competing against others ผู้แข่งขัน, คู่แข่ง
category – a group having similar qualities ประเภท
loosely – not in an exact or detailed way  ไม่เคร่งครัด
supernatural - caused by forces that cannot be explained by science สิ่งที่เหนือธรรมชาติ
bear – to show something; to carry something so that it can be seen แสดง
image – a photograph, painting, or other work of art that represents a person or thing รูปภาพ
journalist – a person who writes news stories or articles for a newspaper or magazine or broadcasts them on radio or television ผู้สื่อข่าว
tough – difficult to do or to deal with ยาก  ยากลำบาก
stun – to surprise or shock somebody so much that they cannot think clearly or speak ทำให้ตะลึงงัน,  ทำให้งง
opponent – a person or team being competed against in a sports event คู่ต่อสู้
bout – a boxing or wrestling match การแข่งขัน
claim – to win something มีชัยชนะ
pray – to speak to God or a saint, for example to give thanks or ask for help ภาวนา, สวดมนต์
sarong – a long piece of thin cloth which is worn wrapped around the waist โสร่ง