Published: 10/11/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News
Twelve “demon statues” at Suvarnabhumi airport believed to have brought bad luck to shopkeepers will be moved at a cost of one million baht.
One of 12 six-metre-tall ‘‘demon statues’’,known in Thai as yaksa, will be relocated to more prominent display locations at Suvarnabhumi airport.
The guardian spirit statues will be shifted from the inner zone of the passenger terminal to the check-in area to “improve morale” of people working at the airport.
Airports of Thailand Plc conducted a religious ceremony for the relocation of 12 yaksa in the passenger terminal last night.
Suvarnabhumi director Niran Thiranartsin said the sculptures were modelled on 12 statues at the Grand Palace.
They are regarded as exceptional works of art and are collectively worth 30 million baht but visitors rarely notice them in the inner passenger area of the terminal because the statues are placed in less visible corners and air passengers rushing to claim baggage or going to departure gates do not see them.
Mr Niran said the six-metre-tall statues will be more visible if they stand in the outer part of the passenger terminal where there are check-in rows.
Mr Niran admitted the decision to relocate the figures from the inner part of the passenger terminal had partly resulted from complaints from staff working in the inner zone which has many shops.
Airports of Thailand president Serirat Prasutanond performs a Brahmin ritual in the airport terminal before undertaking the planned relocation of the 12yaksa. PHOTOSBY SOMCHAIPOOMLARD
The shopkeepers are blaming the “demon statues” for the problems they have faced at the airport, which was seized late last year by demonstrators and supporters of the People’s Alliance for Democracy.
An AoT source said the airport had planned to move the statues to stand guard at the gates of the terminal but a Brahmin had warned the statues should not be placed there because they were the models of those at the Grand Palace and represented highly ranked demons.
The AoT decided to move the statues to face a showcase of the Buddha’s relics at Gate 5 on the fourth floor.
The relocation of the statues is set between 1am and 5am every night to minimise impact on passenger traffic.
Bron: Bangkok Post / www.bangkokpost.com