The Buddhist amulet culet was investigated for its history and development in the Thai society, with an emphasis made particularly in the local context of Phetburi province. Having its root stemmed from the old supernatural believes, the amulet culture has existed in the Thai society since the distant past. Sacred amulets coule be made, for the secular purpose of protecting their owners, in various forms, with that of the Buddha icon generally avoided in the old votive tablets in and iconic form of the Buddha, found in various parts of Thailand, probably served different functions for merit accumulation of their donors and for prolonging the Buddha religion. It was not earlier than the Bangkok Period, that making sacred amulets in an iconic forms of the Buddha, and later on of the holy monks as wll, has gained popularity in the Thai society: early evidence includes "Phra-kring (rattled amulet) Pavaret" made by The Supreme Patriarch H.R.H Prince Pavaretvariyalongkorn of Wat Bovornnivet and "Phar-somdet" made by Somdet Phraphutthachan of Wat Rakangkhositaram. Since then, the tradition has spread widely all through the country. The minting technology introduced into Siam in the fourth reign of the Bangkok period made a breakthrough for mass production of Thai amuldts particularly those in the coin form. Being highly prized in the Thai society, rare Buddhist amulets -- particularly those made by the well-known holy figures -- have increasing exchange-prices, causing the amulet market to grow. To reach its full commercial scale, various advertising and marketing techniques and networks have been continuously developed for promotion of the amulet business. Such full-scale development of the commercial Buddhist amulets in Thailand is evident since shortly before the of the 25 Buddhist century, with the production by the Thai government of the Buddhist amulets in commemoration of 25 centuries of Buddhism an eminent exinent example. Increasing roles of private business agencies in systematic production and marketing of the Buddhist amulets are widely obseved nowadays.The Buddhist amulet culture had been markedly developed at Phetburi since around 2460 B.E., probably under the cultural infuence diffused from Bangkok. Various monastic schools for the cult had been established under the authority of several prominent holy monks, for example, the abbots of Wat Khao-bandai-it, Wat Phra-non, Wat Phra-song, Wat Sing, Wat nai-pak-thalae, Wat Tanod-luang and Wat Khao-krachew. Their development can be roughly divided into two phases; that of the founders between 2460-2500 B.E., before flourishing of the commercial amulet business; and that of the followers from 2500 B.E. on, included within is a high of the commercial amulet culture. Generally speaking, the commercial amulet culture of Phetburi follows the pattern observed as well at various other places, i.e. with intense and systematic involvement of private business agencies in production and marketing of the sacred objects, What makes the Phetburi amulet culture distincitiv probably concerns promotion and advertisement for the local amulets to provide the owners with invulnerability to all harms and dangers, which is to certain extent compatible with the local social atmospheric context of Phetburi, previously reputed as "the city of the gunmen". Beside the economic dimension of the amulet culture at Phetburi, this study also provides the cultural meanings of the Phetburi Buddhist amulets as revealed by folklores and social usages associated with them.
