14/10/2025
"Masters of Sacred Fire"
In Phitsanulok, in the upper central region of Thailand, time stands still inside the Buranathai Foundry. Here, fire is sacred. Clay, wax, molten brass and metal become vessels of faith.
For more than fifty years, the same artisans have worked side by side, their hands worn, their gestures steady, their craft unbroken.
This small family-run foundry was founded in 1968 by Sergeant Major Thawee Buranaket, a self-taught sculptor and visionary who devoted his life to preserving Thailand’s Buddhist heritage.
Without formal training, Khun Thawee learned to cast bronze on his own, combining discipline from his years in the military with a boundless curiosity for art. He trained generations of craftspeople who still work here today, people who speak of him not only as a teacher, but as a father.
Thousands of Buddha statues have since emerged from this humble workshop, each molded by hand, each carrying a spark of devotion. From temples to private homes, even royal collections, their art lives across the country.
Today, the foundry’s fire is kept alive by his daughter Monthanee “Lek” Buranaket and his grandson Sheikh, who both continue his legacy with quiet strength. Around them, artisans who began their apprenticeship decades ago still shape the sacred with bare hands, resisting the pull of industrial molds and mass production.
“Over there,” Sheikh says, “everything is cast identically, without a soul.” Here, every piece breathes. Every statue holds memory. Every wall and flame honors the man who started it all.
Photos series and story available on Hans Lucas
