Some say that a hand tainted by sin can be cleansed with true belief and devotion.
This belief has been the cornerstone of a project initiated by Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendiradebyavati to help reform convicts.
The project, called "Sculpting Earth into Merit", has the inmates of Bang Kwang Central Prison making Buddha images -- a practice that requires deep concentration, which in turn helps the convicts achieve emotional solace and break from the shackles of self-blame and bad thoughts.
Also, when these "sinners" hand their creations over to their families, they receive that much-longed-for emotional boost and support.
The word "morale" is printed on the shirts worn by each sculptor.
A cotton ball is used to clean the surface of a Buddha statue made of white clay under the royally-initiated project called 'Sculpting Earth into Merit' to reform convicts.
The word 'morale' is printed on a shirt worn by a convict.
Instruments for sculpting are laid out before being put to work.
Clay is sculpted into the work of religious arts.
The statues are assembled from various parts, some of which are created using moulds.
Convicts meet their families at a reunion and present their sculpted Buddha statues to them.
