Century-old golden fig tree extracted from Thai canal after local ceremony

A century-old golden fig tree was successfully lifted from the depths of the Lam Maat canal, Buriram province, after a two-day struggle, due to two broken slings. The ease of extraction only came after a local ceremony was conducted to appease the tree’s spirit.

Yesterday (January 9), residents reported a surprising event where a backhoe attempted to lift a golden fig tree, believed to be over 100 years old, from the Lam Maat canal located east of Kok Yang village, Su Praya sub-district, Nang Rong district, Buriram province. The two-day attempt to lift the submerged tree was unsuccessful, with two slings snapping in the process. Locals believed the failure was due to not conducting a spirit-asking ceremony beforehand.

Upon investigation, a stationed backhoe beside the Lam Maat canal was discovered, poised to hoist the golden fig tree. Meanwhile, villagers had summoned Surasak Chotiwaro, abbot of Wat Taen Ballang temple, to conduct a ceremony, along with a local shaman performing a pathway-opening ceremony, to facilitate the tree’s removal from the water.

The tree was then to be transported to the temple. Once the abbot and the shaman completed the ceremony, the backhoe effortlessly lifted the golden fig tree from the water, believed to be over 100 years old, reported Sanook.

After successful extraction, the tree will be relocated to Wat Taen Ballang, per the locals’ request, to serve as a place of worship according to individual beliefs.

Samroeng Koeidon, the owner of a rice field near Lam Maat canal, said that he had discovered a large piece of wood underwater while sowing rice seeds a few days ago. Upon closer inspection, he identified it as a large golden fig tree.

Samroeng informed the villagers and the abbot, seeking permission to relocate the tree to the temple. Despite a two-day effort by the backhoe to lift the tree, it remained submerged, with two slings even breaking. He believed this might be due to not conducting a spirit-asking ceremony. However, once the abbot and the shaman performed the ceremony, the tree was easily lifted. He believed it might be due to mysterious forces.

Shaman Somchuen Sakiri, who conducted the spirit-invoking ceremony for the golden fig tree, initially didn’t feel anything. However, when she conducted the ceremony to ask for a pathway and help from mysterious forces, the backhoe was able to lift the tree from the water easily. Yet, when she tried to communicate with the tree to find out its name, age, and desires, she was unable to make contact.

In related news, a woman in Surat Thani discovered ominous items beneath her house after a series of unfortunate events and health problems plagued her family.