Prayers And Amulets For Leicester Title Hopes
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Six-thousand miles away from Leicester, monk Phra Prommangkalachan prays for the team known in Thailand as ‘the Siamese Foxes’.
Their latest draw against West Ham and a red card for star striker Jamie Vardy have made Leicester City’s hopes of achieving Premier League glory significantly more challenging.
But while there are nail-biting days ahead, the club’s fans can rest assured there is a powerful force still behind them.
Six-thousand miles away, on the other side of the world, is the Wat Traimit temple in Bangkok.
Inside, draped in saffron robes, sits Phra Prommangkalachan – the palms of his hands pressed together, deep in prayer for the team known here in Thailand as ‘the Siamese Foxes’.
He told Sky News: “Leicester City is a determined club with good intentions to win the league.
“The coach has good intentions, the players too.
“My prayers are part of that – I help them prosper and provide encouragement to them.
“We try to manage the team by using the power of Buddhism, the power of Dhamma and the power of the Sangha.”
The monk has been channelling spiritual blessings for Leicester since being brought into the fold by billionaire Thai owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha when he bought the club in 2010.
“Before Mr Vichai contacted me, I’d never known anything about football. The first time I watched a football game was when I was invited to pray for the Leicester City team.”
That invitation led Phra Prommangkalachan, along with a retinue of fellow Thai monks, to make the first of a number of visits to the King Power stadium to bless the pitch and offer lucky amulets to the players.
They also gave out special talismans – flags bearing the clubs logo, adorned with ancient Buddhist script, believed to convey protective powers to the lucky owner.
Two such talismans now hang in pride of place at his shrine in Bangkok, alongside hundreds of Buddha statues, incense, flower offerings and ceremonial elephant tusks.
Given Phra Prommangkalachan also goes by the name of Chao Khun Thongchai – a title that translates to ‘honourable bearer of the flag of victory’ – the omens should be good for the club.
But with Leicester City needing eight points from their next four games to win the title, the monk is well aware it will take a lot more than luck.
“The game is still the game. It’s a sport competition.
“We have to understand the varieties of the system, rules and management.
“The duty of the Buddhist monk like me is to encourage everyone in the team to do the right things by the rules and encourage good Karma.”
For all his modesty, superstitions and a belief in the spiritual powers of the good karma that monks can deliver are widespread in Thai culture.
In the grounds of the temple, worshipper Arthit Noppakaonuntasit was buying lucky amulets.
Until recently, Mr Noppakaonuntasit had been a Manchester United supporter, but this season he switched his allegiance to Leicester.
For him, there was little doubt that Phra Prommangkalachan could help his new club do what was once unthinkable, and top the table.
“Oh yes, I am very confident that the good works of Chao Khun Thongchai can bring about great victory.”
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