LAMPANG – A 49-year-old man from Mae Tha district in northern Thailand’s Lampang Province has been arrested after he attacked a local food vendor with a long knife because he believed she was using black magic against him. This was the fourth time he had behaved violently towards her.
The incident happened on the night of June 4 along a street in Mae Tha, Lampang. Police and emergency responders arrived to find a 60-year-old woman injured by a long knife wound on her left shoulder. She received first aid and was sent home for recovery.
The attacker ran back to his house about 200 metres away after the assault. Police quickly tracked him down, seized the weapon, and arrested him. Drug tests showed no substances in his system. He was handed over to investigators for further legal action.
According to the victim and her husband, they were selling food at the roadside when the man suddenly rushed at them with a knife, muttering to himself. He swung the knife at the woman’s head, but she managed to duck, taking a cut to her shoulder instead. She ran for help, while the attacker chased after her and then tried to attack her husband, forcing both to flee.
The couple said this was the fourth time they had faced such an attack. Security cameras recorded the whole event. They reported it to the police on previous occasions, but the attacker’s family said he was mentally ill.
Neighbours now live in fear because their homes are close together, and the man would sometimes show up with a knife, even entering their property. Children and adults in the family often had to run for safety.
The food vendor believes the attacker is convinced she put a curse on him, which has led to repeated threats and violence.
She hopes the police will handle the case according to the law, stressing that he should get treatment if he is unwell and that he cannot be allowed to keep endangering others. She worries that if nothing changes, someone might not survive the next attack.
Footage from security cameras shows the exact moment of the attack and the panic that followed, with children and neighbours fleeing as the man chased after them with a large knife.
Black Magic in Northern Thailand
Black magic in Northern Thailand, often referred to as Sai Ya Sat (meaning mantra, medicine, and skill), is deeply rooted in local beliefs, blending Animism, Brahmanism, and elements of Buddhism, despite not being a part of orthodox Theravada Buddhist teachings.
It predates Buddhism in the region and is tied to the belief that spirits inhabit objects, animals, and natural elements, influencing health, luck, and emotions.
A notable black magic practice in Northern Thailand involves sorcerers using the spirits of deceased children, particularly boys or girls, to perform rituals. Sorcerers reportedly visit graves at night to conduct rites, such as offering incense and chanting mantras, to “hook” the soul of the deceased.
These spirits are believed to be controlled to carry out the sorcerer’s bidding, sometimes causing harm or influencing victims’ behaviour, like inducing illusions or suicidal acts.
Sacred geometric tattoos (sak yant), talismans (takrut), and other objects inscribed with Pali or Thai symbols are used to harness supernatural power for protection or to ward off evil. These are often crafted by monks or lay masters (ajarn) skilled in spiritual practices.
This practice involves creating amulets or statues from the remains of stillborn or deceased infants, believed to house powerful spirits that bring luck, protection, or fortune to their owners. Rituals may include roasting a fetus and encasing it in materials like gold leaf.
In 2015, a monk in Chiang Mai was investigated for black magic and possessing an infant corpse for such purposes, highlighting the controversial nature of this practice.
