01/20/2026
Portraits from around the world- This is one of my favorite shots from my trip to Thailand. Even though you can’t see his face (he asked me not to photograph his face), I still consider this as his portable and it gave me so much insight into him.
There are close to 300,000 monks that live there. The Buddhist monks (Phra Song) in Thailand follow Theravada traditions, living lives with strict rules (Vinaya), waking early for meditation and chanting, and relying on daily alms (Tak Bat) for food from locals, symbolizing community interdependence and merit-making (Pali Punna) . They serve as spiritual leaders, educators, and sometimes activists, managing thousands of temples (Wat) nationwide, with many men entering temporary ordination for personal growth or to honor parents.
I was surprised to see Monks at Wat Mongkolnimit Phra Aram Luang (Wat Klang) in Old town Phuket with tattoos. I was hesitant but asked if I could photograph them and they said- no faces. I was okay with that. I took a quick shot and loved it.
After coming home- I did some research and this is what I found out about the tattoo.
It is quite a common tradition in Thai Buddhism to get the traditional Sak Yant tattoo (translates to “sacred tattoo” or “blessed tattoo” in Thai)
which are ancient geometric designs mixed with Buddhist prayers believed to offer the wearer spiritual protection and power related to healing, luck, strength, and protection against evil.
The specific design on this monk is a variation of the common “Ha Taew” (Five Lines) Sak Yant, with each line carrying a powerful blessing or meaning.
The tattoos are traditionally hand-etched by Buddhist monks or ajarns (masters) using a long, sharp bamboo or metal rod in a process steeped in ritual.
Sak Yant tattoos have been around for over 2000 years.
Buddhist monks originally engraved Sak Yant into warriors seeking protection and strength in battle; often covering their entire bodies from head to toe to prevent knives and arrows from piercing their skin.
