NAKHON RATCHASIMA: The second of the controversial Ultraman Buddha paintings was sold for two million baht at auction yesterday -- with the seller promising to give the proceeds to charity.
The second Ultraman Buddha painting sold at auction yesterday.
Pakorn Porncheewangkun announced the result of the auction on his Facebook account.
"Closed this picture at two million baht," he wrote, posting a photo of himself standing beside the controversial painting.
The painting was put up for sale on Thursday, and by yesterday morning had attracted a bid of 1.5 million baht, an offer which was later exceeded. On Wednesday, he auctioned off the first painting, which he bought for 4,500 baht, for 600,000 baht.
On Thursday, Mr Pakorn announced the second auction on his Facebook page: "Let me continue by auctioning off this painting [one of the four Ultraman Buddhas] on the Hon Krasae talk show. This painting is now owned by a renowned photographer. He is busy with his work and asked me to auction it off. He bought it for 6,500 baht. Of the proceeds, 10% will be deducted to support the education of the student who painted it. The buyer wants to donate the rest to blind children and remote monk hospitals.''
Mr Pakorn and other buyers recently bought the four controversial Ultraman Buddha works painted by a student artist at Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University.
Earlier, a group of Buddhist hardliners asked the Crime Suppression Division to prosecute the student and other people who supported her paintings for depicting Buddha as the Japanese superhero Ultraman.