Luang Phor Liew Pannako of Wat Rai Then Thong: Biography and Thai Amulets

Biography of the Most Venerable Luang Phor Liew Pannako

Luang Pu Liew Pannako, also called LP Liew or Luang Phor Liew, was born on December 7, 1905, in Ban Nong Or, Photharam district, Ratchaburi province. He is one of the great contemporary Thai masters associated with prosperity amulets, notably the famous Phaya Tao Ruean, sacred turtles believed to bring luck, longevity, and fortune.

In his youth, LP Liew learned woodworking from his father and also developed knowledge of medicinal plants. According to traditional accounts, he left home for a time to study occult sciences, wicha, with a Karen master. This period is said to have profoundly influenced his future reputation as a monk possessing ancient knowledge, both spiritual, protective, and curative.

At the age of 27, weary of secular life, he was ordained a monk and received the monastic name Pannako. He subsequently became a highly respected figure at Wat Rai Taeng Thong, often transliterated as Wat Rai Theng Thong or Wat Rai Tang Tong.
This temple is located between Nakhon Pathom and Kanchanaburi.

Luang Phor Liew and the sacred turtle Phaya Tao Ruean

LP Liew's great renown comes mainly from his sacred turtle-shaped amulets, the Phaya Tao Ruean. In Thai tradition, the turtle symbolizes longevity, stability, patience, and the slow but sure accumulation of prosperity. LP Liew's amulets are thus sought after for luck, protection, trade, and steady progress in life.

His most famous series often depict a turtle bearing yantra, sometimes with the master's image, and were blessed according to renowned powerful rituals. Many collectors still consider LP Liew to be one of the great modern masters of the Thai sacred turtle.

Esoteric anecdotes about Luang Phor Liew

A popular tradition recounts that LP Liew learned secret knowledge at a very young age from an old Karen master living in the forest. After several years of apprenticeship, he is said to have returned with unusual spiritual authority, capable of protecting villagers and neutralizing harmful influences.

The demonstration of the "turtle's breath"

Among the most famous magical accounts concerning LP Liew is a spectacular demonstration of breath mastery, known as the "turtle's breath". According to several testimonies reported by his disciples, the master allegedly asked to be entirely wrapped in several layers of plastic film before being placed underground for a period of several days (some testimonies speak of three weeks, precise details remain vague as often when discussing such stories), remaining alive solely through a technique of meditation and breath control. Upon his extraction, he reportedly emerged conscious, calm, and in perfect health, deeply impressing the faithful present. In Thai esoteric tradition, this practice symbolizes less a search for physical prowess than a demonstration of perfect mastery of the body, mind, and vital energy (lom prana). Like many stories surrounding the great forest masters, this story now belongs as much to oral tradition as to Buddhist hagiography and contributes to the exceptional reputation surrounding the Most Venerable Luang Phor Liew.

Another anecdote related to his amulets states that devotees wearing a sacred turtle from LP Liew saw their affairs progress "slowly but surely," like the turtle: no sudden wealth, but stable, regular, and lasting prosperity.

"The turtle does not chase after wealth: it moves with patience, and wealth eventually comes to it."

LP Liew passed away peacefully on September 4, 2000, at the age of 95, after 74 years of monastic life. More than twenty years after his passing, his amulets remain highly sought after in Thailand and abroad, particularly by enthusiasts of sacred objects related to luck, longevity, and prosperity.

Thai Amulets of the Most Venerable Luang Phor Liew

The amulets of the Most Venerable Luang Phor Liew of Wat Rai Taeng Thong hold an important place in the collection of Thai prosperity amulets. They are particularly valued by merchants, collectors, and devotees seeking a sacred object that is both protective, benevolent, and deeply rooted in Thai Buddhist tradition.