Showing their true colours

From a belief in mystical powers to the latest fashion trend, tattoos have transcended time to remain popular in Thailand. Tattoo images have also evolved from ancient letters to the faces of English soccer stars, with the body as a canvas to display various types of illustrations.

Welcome to the world of tattoo devotees. In the old days, people had their bodies inscribed with tattoos called Sak Yant because they believed the sacred symbols would provide them with spiritual protection. Soldiers had their bodies etched with Sak Yant to guard them against the enemy.

These days, the new generation may not believe in supernatural powers as much as their ancestors did but many still want to have their skin tattooed with various messages. Some want to show their love for someone by indelibly marking the loved one’s name on their body. Others just want to look cool like David Beckham or Angelina Jolie, who had her body tattooed in Thailand.

At the Body Art Tattoo Challenge event last week in Bangkok, people came to display their body art. A variety of designs and patterns were on show. A model reclined to show off an intricate black tattoo of stylised floral patterns. A man from Liverpool had an artist draw the face of Steven Gerrard on his bicep to display his loyalty to the Kop.

Tattoo techniques have also changed. In the past people used a bamboo stick to make an incision on the skin to create the lines and pattern. Today’s tattoo artists use a tattoo gun. Nevertheless, tattooing remains a painful process because the artist has to pierce the skin.

But that does not seem to deter people who request tattoo services, such as a woman who is having her eyebrows tattooed to boost the outline of her face and adjust her facial feng shui.

Meanwhile, old beliefs die hard, at least at Wat Bang Phra in Nakhon Pathom’s Nakhon Chai Si district. Every year Sak Yant devotees gather at the temple to pay tribute to old ancestors, such as a shaved man showing off the intricacies of the ancient art.