When Suppanut Jansakul has an important work meeting, he checks a chart to see which colour shirt will bring the best luck. If it is a special day, the 26-year-old wears a bracelet with a Hindu Ganesha charm, for success in his work in marketing, or his master’s degree studies. On his phone, he switches between wallpapers showing gods or goddesses associated with love or work, depending on his preference.
Jansakul and many of his friends are among a growing number of young people in Thailand who follow such daily rituals.
The importance of spiritual objects in Thai culture is not new – amulets and auspicious colours or dates have long been appreciated. But in recent years interest among younger generations has boomed as these traditions have been digitised, made more convenient and adapted to modern tastes.
“The young generation has made it more accessible, and they make things that look more cute, more fashionable,” says Jansakul. The trend grew rapidly during the pandemic – a time of uncertainty and upheaval, when people were stuck at home unable to travel to sacred sites in person – and has continued to blossom.
Online shops sell delicate charms and bracelets with images of gods and goddesses. It is possible to buy lipsticks blessed by monks and even burgers marked with sacred sak yant tattoos. On TikTok, food vendors will offer to make offerings live on camera when a monk passes by.
The phenomenon is broadly referred to as mutelu – a term inspired by the 1979 Indonesian film Mutelu: Occult War, which explored themes such as superstition and black magic, but which has since taken on a broader meaning.
It is a challenge to translate. “No English term would do justice,” says Susanne Kerekes, assistant professor at the department of religious studies, Trinity College, Connecticut, who points out that in a western context, anything superstitious often carries unfavourable connotations.
Mutelu, however, is not perceived negatively and encompasses anything from trips to sacred temples to Instagrammable charms and gems or cute figurines that young people collect from vending machines.
Mutelu is a part of pop culture, according to Khomkrit Uitekkeng, a professor at the faculty of arts, Silpakorn University. “You see the topic in the news, in the media … everything, everywhere it is about mutelu.”
It has even spawned a series of wordplays – from mu-kating (mutelu marketing) to mu-cafe – reflecting the extent to which the trend has expanded across culture.
Various factors are driving such growth, says Kerekes. Post-pandemic technology and convenience have made products and services more accessible. Platforms now allow individuals to participate in rituals that would once have only been conducted in person at a temple or a sacred site in front of a deity.
The aesthetics of new products, which often have subtle or cute designs, are also far more appealing to younger people. “No one wants to be walking around carrying a heavy amulet to their neck, like the older generation,” Kerekes adds.
Bracelets, similar to the white threads traditionally tied around a person’s wrist during ceremonies at temples, are now available in modern designs. “Some people would say, ‘Oh the white thread is fine’. But why wear that when you can wear this delicate, dainty bracelet that also has a little gemstone or has some mini-design – that aligns with the aesthetic appeal of this younger generation.”
Kerekes says the growth in online experience does not necessarily mean fewer people would visit temples, however. Temple staff “recognise that if they want to keep up they should also participate”, and some run live feeds on social media for those unable to attend in person. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has also tried to tap into the trend by offering travel routes that explore spiritual sites and traditions.
In the Silom area of Bangkok, Sri Maha Mariamman Hindu temple is busy with visitors young and old. “I searched on Twitter and everyone who comes here prays for work,” says Masarat Punjasiriwit, a 20-year-old student at Thammasat University who has come to pray for success with her internship application.
She does not buy mutelu charms, she adds, but many younger people do, including her sister. “I think young people are at an age where they’re not that stable,” she says. Others go to pray for love.
Outside the temple, lottery sellers and fortune tellers sit alongside shops selling sacred statues. Jasmine Pongnaratip, 29, says the interest in mutelu may also be driven by the economic climate and a desire for reassurance. “But for us, we’ve been doing it for many years, 15 to 20 years, since we were very young,” she says.
Her family visit temples every time their tour company is doing well and also go to Chinese or Thai Buddhist temples. At Sri Maha Mariamman, visitors are given bottles of holy water to take, as well as cards with the images of gods or goddesses. “We keep [them] everywhere – in the car, in the pocket, in the business place,” she says.
For Jansakul, whether young people are downloading phone wallpapers, or older people are collecting traditional amulets, the underlying beliefs and desires are the same. “As humans we are not satisfied with work, with love. We want to have a better life – but that’s uncontrollable,” he says. “That’s why this belief is still here in society.”
