Sak Yant Wai Kru 2018: Thailand [Ambient Audio #1]

ShEvo vs. The First World | A Skeptical Look at Western Culture

As a special treat to those of you who stay subscribe to our podcast, we’ll be releasing some special, long form audio over the coming weeks as we travel to Cambodia, China, Japan, and Korea before landing back in America.

Today, you’ll hear a long-form ambient audio recording of one of the most bizarre -- at least by western standards -- religious events in Thailand. It’s called the Sak Yant Wai Kru. It takes place every year at a temple called Wat Bang Pra, which is about 50 km NW of Thailand.

Each year in early March, more than 10,000 afficiantos of the sak yant tattoos gather at the temple and well… go a little crazy. The reason for the gathering is to get the tattoos recharged. In the strange amalgamation of religion and mysticism that is Thai Buddhism, sak yant tattoos imbue their owner with special protective powers. And just like it’s a good idea to reboot your computer or update the apps on your phone once and awhile, the tattos need a little recharging.

Or a lot, as you’ll hear.

What follows is just over 2 and half hours of un-cut audio I recorded at the 2018 event, my third time attending. Sheila took a bunch of pictures and has them on Flickr. She also has a great video from the 2017 event on YouTube.

In the audio, you’ll heave me interacting with some of our favorite people that we’re going to miss a lot when we leave Thailand in just a few days. Ric, Jack, Karina, Ian… and a bunch more. You’ll also hear me clearing my throat a lot, as I was just getting over a cold. And from time to time, you’ll hear my reactions and Sheila’s reactions to the quite literal insanity of the event.

If you can’t make it through all 2 and a half hours, I understand. The first three minutes of the audioclip gives a fairly good representation of the rest of the audio. Of course you might be sucked in after that. IT happens.

So here we go. Thanks for listening. We’ll be back from time to time with more audio. And eventually, season five of our podcast will start up again. Whatever we decide to call it. Cheers!