Luang Phor Niam Thammachoti

Luang Pho Niam (1828 – 1908) was a famous Thai Buddhist monk and meditation master of Suphanburi Province.^[1]

He was highly revered for his miraculous powers and spiritual attainments, particularly in loving-kindness (metta), invulnerability (kongkrapan), and protection from danger (klaewkhlad). He was respected by other leading monks of his time, including Ariyavangsagatayana (Pae Tissadeva), Luang Pu Boon Khanthachot, and Luang Pho Thap of Wat Thong, who all possessed his sacred amulets.^[2]

Luang Pho Niam of Wat Noi was born in Suphanburi Province. His father was a native of Ban Song, Mod Daeng Subdistrict, Si Prachan District, Suphanburi, and his mother, named Nueang, came from Ban Pa Phruek, Bang Pla Ma District. He had several siblings, one of whom was an elder sister named Chat.

Luang Pho Niam was born in 1828 (B.E. 2371), during the reign of King Rama III, at Ban Pa Phruek, Takhua Subdistrict, Bang Pla Ma District, Suphanburi Province. He was ordained as a novice and, upon reaching proper age, took full ordination (likely at Wat Pa Phruek, his home temple nearby). Later, he studied the Vinaya and the Mulakaccayana grammar at Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit in Bangkok (his name appears in the temple’s monastic records). It is also believed that he studied under Somdet Toh at Wat Rakhang Kositaram.^[3]

At around age 40, he returned to his hometown to reside at Wat Rocharoen. After some disagreements with the abbot, he moved to Wat Noi, which was then abandoned. He restored and rebuilt the temple, turning it into a flourishing monastery.

Luang Pho Niam was deeply devoted to meditation (vipassanā-dhura) and gave generous instruction to his disciples. He was renowned for healing illnesses and for his clairvoyant abilities — said to perceive events before they occurred. It was said that photographs could not capture his image. He could detect monks’ disciplinary faults without being told, and many miraculous tales are associated with him. He was compassionate toward all living beings. His daily routine began before dawn: he would don his robes, perform confession of faults, instruct the monks through conversation, go on alms-round, take his meal, and feed the animals that came to the temple for refuge.^[4]

He died peacefully in the posture of the reclining Buddha — said to be the first Thai monk to do so — on 8 November 1908 (B.E. 2451), at the end of the reign of Rama V, aged 80, after 60 rains retreats. His cremation took place in April 1909 (B.E. 2452), presided over by Luang Pu Boon Khanthachot, then governor of Nakhon Chaisi Ecclesiastical Province, and Ariyavangsagatayana (Pae Tissadeva), who at that time held the title Phra Thammakosajarn.^[5]

Luang Pho Niam’s sacred amulets are famous throughout Thailand and well-known among collectors for their extraordinary powers of protection, invulnerability, and compassion. In earlier times, the process of hardening mercury (parod) was difficult and required esoteric rituals and specific seasonal ingredients available only during the rainy season — such as bai taeng nu leaves found in rice fields. The ingredients, including bai salot leaves and cooked rice, were ground together to remove impurities from the mercury. This process took seven days of pounding and stirring, followed by sun-drying and another seven days of refinement. The purified mercury was then mixed with sulfur and alum in a stone mortar at night for three nights, before being sealed in Chinese liquor jars and fused with lead over seven days of daytime heating and nightly chanting. After seven firings, the molten mixture was poured into molds to form the sacred amulets.^[6]

Popular types of amulets made by Luang Pho Niam include:

1. Bald-headed Buddha (Phra Siar Lon)
2. Pointed-head Buddha (Phra Siar Laem)
3. Sugarcane-section type (Ngon Nam Oi)
4. Small and large principal Buddha images
5. Five Buddha Group
6. Phra Pidta (Closed-Eye Buddha)
7. Cave Tiger Buddha
8. Pru Nang type
9. Luk Sakot and Takrut (amulet balls and scrolls)^[7]