Nakhon pathom: The Wai Kru ceremony for Luang Pho Pern was held with the temple packed with disciples. Thousands of disciples gathered at Wat Bang Phra in Nakhon Pathom province to pay their respects to Luang Pho Pern in the 2026 Wai Kru ceremony (paying homage to the revered teacher) in a solemn atmosphere. Several disciples experienced spiritual possession during the ceremony.
According to Thai News Agency, the image shows the atmosphere as disciples participate in the Wai Kru ceremony of Phra Udom Prachanath, or Luang Pho Pern, the former abbot and renowned master of invincibility and magic from the Nakhon Chai Si river basin. The ceremony is held at Wat Bang Phra, Bang Kaeo Fa Subdistrict, Nakhon Chai Si District, Nakhon Pathom Province, today (Saturday, the 4th waning moon of the 4th lunar month), believed to be the most auspicious day for consecration and Wai Kru ceremonies. This year, Phra Khru Anukool Phisalkit, or Luang Pho Sam-ang, the current abbot of Wat Bang Phra, presided over the Wai Kru ceremony. Luang Pho Sam-ang is a principal disciple who inherited the art of tattooing and Buddhist magic from Luang Pho Pern.
This year, thousands of disciples of Luang Phor Pern and students of his lineage of tattoo artists gathered at the temple grounds for the Wai Kru ceremony. Before the ceremony, many disciples seated within the ceremonial area exhibited trance-like states, manifesting as leaping tigers, monkeys, Hanuman, old ancestors, and hermits, among others.
Some disciples stated that participating in the ceremony is a matter of personal belief, depending on one's faith and conviction. It is impossible to say whether someone is genuinely possessed or not by something we cannot see.
The Wai Kru (Teacher Homage) Ceremony at Wat Bang Phra was first held in 1976 (4th waning moon of the 4th lunar month) and continues to this day, totaling 50 years. It is held to commemorate Luang Pho Pern, who was known for his compassion and expertise in occult sciences, particularly his "Tiger Carrying a Sword" and "Hanuman" amulets, which gained worldwide fame.
What makes the Wai Kru ceremony at Wat Bang Phra known worldwide is the phenomenon of "possession," where, while the revered monks perform the ceremony, the disciples will exhibit dance-like movements or gestures based on the tattoos they possess.