'Demons' to be relocated at airport

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SUVARNABHUMI

'Demons' to be relocated at airport

Published: 10/11/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

Twelve "demon statues" at Suvarnabhumi airport believed to have brought bad luck to shopkeepers will be moved at a cost of one million baht.

Oneof 12 six-metre-tall ‘‘demon statues’’,knownin Thai asyaksa, will be relocated tomoreprominent display locations at Suvarnabhumi airport.

The guardian spirit statues will be shifted from the inner zone of the passenger terminal to the check-in area to "improve morale" of people working at the airport.

Airports of Thailand Plc conducted a religious ceremony for the relocation of 12 yaksa in the passenger terminal last night.

Suvarnabhumi director Niran Thiranartsin said the sculptures were modelled on 12 statues at the Grand Palace.

They are regarded as exceptional works of art and are collectively worth 30 million baht but visitors rarely notice them in the inner passenger area of the terminal because the statues are placed in less visible corners and air passengers rushing to claim baggage or going to departure gates do not see them.

Mr Niran said the six-metre-tall statues will be more visible if they stand in the outer part of the passenger terminal where there are check-in rows.

Mr Niran admitted the decision to relocate the figures from the inner part of the passenger terminal had partly resulted from complaints from staff working in the inner zone which has many shops.

Airports of Thailand president Serirat Prasutanond performs a Brahmin ritual in the airport terminal before undertaking the planned relocation of the 12yaksa. PHOTOSBY SOMCHAIPOOMLARD

The shopkeepers are blaming the "demon statues" for the problems they have faced at the airport, which was seized late last year by demonstrators and supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy.

An AoT source said the airport had planned to move the statues to stand guard at the gates of the terminal but a Brahmin had warned the statues should not be placed there because they were the models of those at the Grand Palace and represented highly ranked demons.

The AoT decided to move the statues to face a showcase of the Buddha's relics at Gate 5 on the fourth floor.

The relocation of the statues is set between 1am and 5am every night to minimise impact on passenger traffic.

Relate Search: Suvarnabhumi airport

About the author

: Writer: Amornrat Mahitthirook; Position: Reporter

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Discussion 41 : 11/11/2009 at 07:07 PM41
What kind of "luck" with these demons bring to the passengers at the check-in counters?
Lertsiri Boonmee

Discussion 40 : 11/11/2009 at 11:02 AM40
Move the demons where you like...it is the right thing to do....it is the Thai way.
Joe America

Discussion 39 : 11/11/2009 at 12:16 AM39
Gee I wonder if I could get a couple of those statues? I would like to put them in the front lawn like a scarecrow to discourge the neighbor dogs from poooing on my property. LOL
shahe

Discussion 38 : 10/11/2009 at 08:59 PM38
Bit hard to miss a bright gold 6 meter tall dragon i always see it, nearly always blinds me after a 10 hour flight.
cant understand shopkeepers thinking they bring bad luck,
I read in the paper tourist numbers were up, but what the heck lets do it the thai way.
raise the prices, then everyone will shop at the airport.
Common sense really.
Dick Farang

Discussion 37 : 10/11/2009 at 03:43 PM37
IMHO it are the yellow shirts who brought bad luck to Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Somchai

Discussion 36 : 10/11/2009 at 02:29 PM36
You have all got the cause and effect the wrong way round. Shame on all of you! The taxi scams and shop scams are being caused by the demons being in the wrong places.

If the problems continue after moving the demons, it is clear proof that the AOT still hasn't found the correct spots for the demons.

Since the demons cannot speak, the AOT will have to keep moving them around until the demons start to behave like sensible demons and stop causing the corruption, scams, and bad luck.

I know ... What about conducting a daily sacrifice for the demons to appease them? Do demons prefer meat or are they vegetarians?
Ed

Discussion 35 : 10/11/2009 at 12:57 PM35
Thank you Bangkok Post for posting this article. This is brilliant. My stomach aches because I laugh so much.
Lobey

Discussion 34 : 10/11/2009 at 12:50 PM34
The demons have nothing to do with it. I haven't spent a penny at Swampy since I was charged 150 baht for a cup of coffee a couple of years ago.
Somboon

Discussion 33 : 10/11/2009 at 12:47 PM33
As I read all of the comments, I notice that none of the commentator is a Thai. But that is ok because, as a Thai, I frankly found the comments to be quite funny and hilarious. I know most of the foreigners, especially caucasians, do not believe in superstitious and neither do I. But remember most of the second and third world countries still do believe in it---China(first world?), India, Vietnam, Laos, etc.

But hey this is Thailand. You all should know that just about every prime ministers and most of the generals consult "mor doo." Abhisit is no exception because he did consulted "mor doo" even though he spent many years in England.

Bah humbug!
Fa_Rawng

Discussion 32 : 10/11/2009 at 12:39 PM32
This a job for the ghost-busters.
Get serious Thailand, your on display here.

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'Demons' to be relocated at airport