RAYONG: Ten corpses of infants, mostly those of who died shortly after birth, have been stolen from a graveyard in Ban Chang district in what was believed to be part of black magic rituals to make "kuman thong", or baby amulets.
Rescue workers from the Putthathum Songkor rescue association recently found the cement blocks serving as the graves of some infants were forced open and the bodies were missing, Thai media reported on Saturday.
Thanadet Jia-ekkarat, member of the rescue association committee, said a total of 10 infants’ corpses vanished from the graveyard. They were mostly infants who died shortly after birth or premature babies. The association would alert Ban Chang police and relevant agencies to investigate, he said.
Thai media reported that 5-6 dead infant corpses were buried at this graveyard a month. Local residents said they heard the sound of cement breaking and prayers in Khmer dialect coming from the graveyard late at night over the past week.
The locals believed thieves had stolen the corpses to make kuman thong, or baby amulets, that could fetch higher prices among people with superstitious beliefs.